


Smells Like School Spirit

by cityscaping



Series: inarizaki school tour series [2]
Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: A little bit of fluff, Bad Jokes, Character Study, Coming of Age, Developing Friendships, Developing Relationship, Everyone Needs A Hug, F/M, Friendship, Gen, High School, Hopeful Ending, I'm Bad At Tagging, Inarizaki, Inspired by Fanart, Miya Atsumu Being an Idiot, Original Character(s), Slow Burn, Teen Angst, Teen Years, This Is Why We Can't Have Nice Things, Volleyball, Volleyball Dorks & Nerds, band geek turned manager, don't trust the relationship tags, i am unpacking my issues with jock worship, i hate tagging because i am not good at it, oc character study, oc is like super smart, school spirit, warning sad backstory
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-17
Updated: 2021-03-04
Packaged: 2021-03-08 22:47:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 33,585
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27064390
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cityscaping/pseuds/cityscaping
Summary: Shibazeki Reina was often called too smart for her own good. But in a world where someone like her would never be the star of the universe (that role belonged to her former best friend, Ichijou Mai), Reina was content to hold on to her teenage identity as an observant outsider. Reina’s high school days were supposed to be peaceful until the whole drama in the band club she was in became too unbearable for her to handle and eventually resulted in her (sort of) dramatic exit. Content to spend the rest of her second year helping her best friend’s dying lit club, Reina was more than surprised when the ace Ojiro Aran approached her with an interesting proposition: be the volleyball club’s manager to deal with the hooligans from her batch.Handling said hooligans who took form in the Miya twins, especially the one with piss colored hair named Atsumu, who forced Reina to face her past, which she thought she had buried. Not after what had happened all those years ago that caused her to swear off being close to anything sports-related. But alas, if she wanted to go on, Reina should get used to the smell of school spirit that Inarizaki High’s volleyball club reeked, which was getting to her head, slowly yet surely.
Relationships: Hirugami Sachirou/Reader, Inarizaki Volleyball Club & Original Female Character(s), Miya Atsumu & Inarizaki Volleyball Club, Miya Atsumu & Miya Osamu, Miya Atsumu & Miya Osamu & Suna Rintarou, Miya Atsumu/Original Character(s), Miya Atsumu/Original Female Character(s), Miya Atsumu/Reader, Miya Osamu & Inarizaki Volleyball Club, Miya Osamu/Original Female Character(s), Suna Rintarou & Inarizaki Volleyball Club
Series: inarizaki school tour series [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1975246
Comments: 17
Kudos: 99





	1. the beginning of the end

**Author's Note:**

> thank you to pixiv fanarts of atsumu x oc that got me real inspired to write this. just a fare warning, this fic is more likely of a character study of my oc rather than an actual atsumu x oc. i actually have another hq character to pair with reina. and I also want to explore how my misanthropic oc would survive managing boys hs volleyball club. 
> 
> p.s. i actually turn up ribs by lorde as I write this for vibing reasons.
> 
> here is the playlist for this fic
> 
> https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0FLxbWssk6OopQ74qvdejb

“Excuse me, Ichijou-san.” 

Ichijou Mai turned her head at the mention of her name, causing Ojiro Aran to gulp a little bit. He was not the nervous sort, but there was something about the dark-haired girl that caused him to catch himself a little bit. 

Not gonna lie, approaching one of the prettiest girls in the middle of the school’s hallway like this reminded Aran of a scene in a shojo manga. Not that he got the time to read them. 

Ever since the third year of his high school years began, Aran started to worry about the fate of the volleyball club once he graduated. Leaving the club in the hands of the Miya twins, especially Atsumu, without a capable manager who could call on his bullshit...Inarizaki Volleyball Club would turn into a full-fledged circus. 

Hence, when he found out that Miya Osamu was getting a little close to one of his female classmates who was decidedly not one of the lovesick fangirls, Aran decided to give this a try. It was only yesterday Mai visited the gym during volleyball practice because she wanted to get the vibe of sports as it was related to her photoshoot with a volleyball magazine. And unknowingly revealing to the whole club that she and Osamu were at least acquaintances. 

Aran could not help but _see_ just how beautiful Ichijou was. With her piercing jet black eyes and long hair as dark as the midnight skies, no one could deny that she was one of the prettiest girls in school and yet also the most elusive. She was wearing a maroon-colored hair band that certainly gave the impression that she was maintaining her looks.   
Even by keeping much to herself and seemingly focused on her job as a teen model only fueled the number of boys joining her fan club. Although as much as it caused Aran to raise his eyebrows, the Miya Twins got even more fans than she had. 

Sometimes he wondered if that was the reason why Mai chose Inarizaki among all other schools. She was not even an athlete or interested in any form of athletics. It was clear that she was hiding behind the twins’ and sports clubs’ fame to shield herself. 

“Yes?” 

Her voice was not soft and demure like he expected a girl who looked so fragile and breakable. It was throaty and a little bit raspy, like a smoker’s voice. He had heard her talked, but listening to her voice up close only emphasized just how Mai defied his expectations of her. 

“Uh…” Aran scratched the back of his head, suddenly at loss for words. Yeah, he was the ace for their school’s volleyball club and Ichijou-san was a whole year younger than him. If he was being honest, years of being way too invested in volleyball certainly did not give him the finesse to talk to girls, let alone the pretty ones. “I...you know Miya Osamu well, I take? I want to approach you with this proposition.”

She stayed quiet, waiting for him to finish. Aran was not used to being given the time to talk and let him finish his thoughts and being in the same team with the twins did not help. He had to fight for every chance he got to say his piece of mind and somehow he was given the time to fill in the silence. It felt weird and yet also pleasant.   
“Do you want to be the manager for the volleyball club?” Aran finally got the damn words out and he sighed in relief. He was not even spiking a ball into the other side of the court and yet Ichijou made him nervous in ways he could not describe.

Mai had this unsettling gaze on her eyes like she was only existing and not truly living. The only other unsettling person Aran knew was Kita, who could practically dismantle anyone with one gaze and several words, but he never did it out of malice. 

Something about Ichijou screamed emptiness as if she was wearing layers and layers of superficiality and nonchalance. For what reason, Aran could not tell. He was not like Kita-san who could dissect someone with one look. 

Cocking her head sideways, Mai looked into Aran’s eyes before throwing her head back and let out a laugh. It was not a pleasant laugh, Aran noted to himself, but a rather bitter and full of irony. “Of all the fangirls who are most definitely waiting in the long line to be the manager, why me? At least please do answer that.”

Aran was honestly startled, but honestly being around the Miya twins, he should have expected that the prettiest people who could spew the most bitter words. Mai did not say anything rude, but her tone implied a deep sense of self-deprecation that Aran could not understand. 

“You’re the only female I know by association and do not harbor any kind of worship towards any of the school clubs, or even care about the school spirit,” he decided to answer honestly. “I’m sure you know how Inarizaki is with our school spirit and how deep it is connected to the school’s sports clubs.”

“You’re right about several things though,” Mai answered as she raised her hand. “I don’t care about school spirit and you know me only by association. As much as I wanted to help you, I can’t because my schedule outside school hours makes it impossible to commit to becoming a manager.” 

Ah, of course, Mai was also committed to her job as a part-time model. It was thoughtless of him not to think about her activities beyond school hours as well. “Ah, forgive me, Ichijou-san, I honestly think that there is a possibility you can squeeze in manager duties into your schedule. That was thoughtless of me and I’m sorry.”   
Aran bowed at her, showing that he truly meant the apology. As he straightened his back, he saw Mai’s eyes widened, as if she could not wrap her head around what just occurred right before her eyes. 

“You...Geez, you don’t have to say sorry for something so trivial,” Mai exclaimed and it was the only time he saw her emoting something rather than...deliberate nonchalance. 

“I...argh, Ojiro-san, if you really want to get a manager for your precious volleyball club, I do know someone who would probably fit for the job if you’re looking for someone who doesn’t care much about athlete worship or school spirit. But don’t tell her that I’m the one who is putting her up for this job.”

Aran was ready to turn his back and walk away, retreating to think of another way to the solution. Hearing Ichijou’s words caused his ears to perk as he turned his back again to face Ichijou, who now wore a look of mild amusement. 

“Wait, you’re serious, Ichijou-san?”

“As serious as I could ever be, but whether or not you manage to scout her as a manager, that is entirely up to you.” Mai flipped her fair as she started to walk away. “The name is Shibazeki Reina, by the way, a second-year student in class 2-7.” 

With that, she retreated into her class leaving Aran in the second year students’ hallway all alone. Okay, now the only thing he had to do was find this Shibazeki Reina. Class 2-7, she must’ve got a whole lot of brain cells, which was honestly necessary to deal with Aran’s juniors who were hooligans. If one wanted to deal with his juniors, they needed a whole lot of brain cells to sacrifice and still got enough left to maintain their sanity. 

Ah, there was still hope, after all, to make sure that when he graduated by the end of the year, the volleyball club would not turn into a full-fledged circus. 


	2. offer

“Shibazeki-san.” 

Reina looked up from the novel she was reading underneath her desk drawer. One of her female classmates, Minamori Kotoha, was standing in front of her desk. Minamori was one of her many acquaintances who had yet to cross into the friend area, but Reina still managed an amicable smile. Hopefully it did not come out as a cringe.

“Yes? Is there anything I can help you with? If you want the solution manual for our math textbook, you can pay up to like ten thousand yen.”

Minamori scrunched her eyebrows and her face broke into a grimace. “Do you honestly think that I need your help with homework?”

Reina did not know what to say, but she did honestly think that Minamori needed to buy her solution manual for the math textbook. Figuring she had no idea how to deliver the words without having a fight brewing between them, Reina just shrugged. After all, she was...not exactly known for her smooth way with words. Sharp tongued, yes, but smooth, most definitely not. 

“I don’t know whether to feel bad for you or not, but anyways,” Minamori continued as she shrugged. “Someone from the volleyball club is somehow looking for you.”

Reina raised her eyebrows, honestly not expecting anyone from the sports club to look for her. She was an outlier in a school like Inarizaki which had a strong club culture and school spirit, by choosing not to align herself into one club. Not since her exit from the brass band club. “Wait what? Are you sure that it is not a mistake, Minamori-san? The school athletes don’t usually...associate themselves with the likes of me.”

It was a matter of fact that most of the school sports club members lived in their own bubble. And they did not usually seek a practically invisible student who was more known as one of the top students who did not belong in any club (read: an oddball).

Reina had nothing against the sports club members or anything, but keeping her distance from anything school spirit related made things easier for her to run her business. Honestly, she would rather jump off the school’s rooftop than letting the jocks get their hands on this side business she was running. Sports were such a huge part of Inarizaki High’s signature and a guarantee magnet to the spotlight (which meant disaster for Reina). Spotlight meant teachers finding out that she was basically capitalizing half of the student body’s dumbassery and scouting her for the peer tutor program, just like Yuri was scouted at the beginning of the school year.

Yuri was smart enough to figure out a side hustle on how to keep her dying lit club by monetizing that took advantage of the strong jock worship culture in Inarizaki. And being a peer tutor was the perfect cover that would help Yuri to evade the teacher's suspicion. 

Reina could never be bothered to indulge herself for practical reasons like that, unless it had anything to do with her academic performance or her own gain. 

“Positive. I think it is Ojiro Aran-san.” 

“Ojiro Aran…” Reina closed her eyes as she gathered whatever data she had collected about the student body in her head to figure out who this Ojiro-san was. “He is a third year, why would he know that I existed or want my services?” she asked herself, not realizing that she was thinking out loud. 

“Ha, like you ever give your services to jocks,” Minamori quipped back. “Okay that sounded wrong I’m sorry. But just informing you that I am super positive that it is Ojiro Aran, the ace of the volleyball club who is currently outside of our class looking for you.”

Reina closed her eyes, once again thinking of the data she had on the ace that got him possibly trying to approach her. He was in class 3-5 and most definitely did not need to buy her answer keys or homework answers, after all he was a year older. She could not find the answer.

Sighing, Reina closed her novel and stood up from her seat as she walked away. “Sure as hell he is not here to buy homework answers from me,” she muttered to herself.

“Hey, at least give me a discount for Honda-sensei’s notes,” Minamori suddenly called, causing Reina to stop at her steps and turned. “Pretty please?”

A small smile appeared on Reina’s face. “Well, I thought you said you don’t need my notes.”

To be fair, her fellow classmates were not part of her clientele. Their notes were probably much more immaculate and complete compared to hers, which to her own opinion was already Studyblr worthy. 

Minamori only let out a cheeky laugh to which Reina responded with a mirthful smile and a shake of head.

With that she went outside her classroom and saw the said volleyball club ace, who was leaning against the wall. 

“Ano…” Reina cautiously said, “are you sure that you’re looking for me?”

Hearing her voice, Ojiro raised his head and his eyes glinted in the way that reminded Reina of an excited dog. “You’re Shibazeki Reina, right?”

“Uh…” Reina did not really like to interact with the school jocks and most definitely not one from the most popular sports club in her school. It was not anything personal, just to keep the spotlight off her. “Yes and is there anything I can do to help you?”

“Gomen, Shibazeki-san, if I’m interrupting your daily routine.”

 _Since when jocks were thoughtful,_ Reina thought to herself, but she realized how unfair she was being by not giving Ojiro the benefit of the doubt. Her perception of jocks were shaped by her experiences as a student in the USA back in elementary school, during the several years her family moved there. And her impression _was not_ positive at all. 

"No… you're not." Her train of thoughts was almost crashing together because of flashbacks, but she pushed it off. "I'm sorry, but is there an urgent reason why you're here?"

"I actually came here to ask you would you like to be the volleyball club manager? Or are you already committed to another club?"

Club. Volleyball. Manager.

Her mind whirled and the only thing that prevented her from losing her balance was the fact she was already frozen. 

Reina could not believe what she was hearing. This must be a joke from the universe. Her, someone who was barely living and only drifting throughout her high school days, was asked to be the basically one of the pillars of a high school sports club. She had every reason to reject his offer, but she could barely process the request. Her head was spinning and she could feel the bile rising up on her throat. 

Volleyball, one of the plethora reasons why her family fell apart. She opened her mouth, trying to give him a reply, but there were no words coming out of her mouth. 

“Shibazeki-san, are you alright?” Aran’s worried voice was what caused Reina to snap back into reality. She blinked and stared into Ojiro’s eyes. It was a habit of hers to stare into someone’s eyes as they were talking, a habit which she acquired from several years living in America. Not even going back to Japan since middle school could uproot that ingrained habit. 

“I…” Reina gulped, and her eyes darted around the hallway. The other students who were trudging past the hallway started to eye her with suspicion and mild surprise. “Ojiro-san, do you mind if I think about it first? I am...not sure that I am in the right state of mind to give you a definite answer right now.”

It was the truth, just not the entire truth. 

Ojiro nodded, there was still a trace of worry on his eyes. Reina could not help but to remember someone from her old hometown in Nagano, who also had the same kindness in his eyes. 

“Thank you for your consideration, Shibazeki-san,” Ojiro sincerely answered as he bowed at her. “Whenever you’re ready, remember you can reach out to me in the volleyball club’s gym.”

Reina nodded, albeit a little bit dumbstruck as she watched Ojiro-san turn his back and walk away. 

As she went back into her classroom, Reina could literally _feel_ her classmates' gazes bore holes into her backside as she slid back into her seat. 

"Reina, what's wrong?" 

Looking up, Reina saw Yuri, who apparently had returned from the lit club room. Yuri's eyebrows were scrunched together, a gesture she unknowingly did if she was worried. 

Yuri, one of the _only_ people in this school, who was willing to hang out with her out of pure sincerity and honest friendship. 

Reina was not ready to tell what had just transpired between her and Ojiro Aran because in all honesty, she was not sure about the outcome. Meanwhile, all her free time as a clubless student was spent as a freelancing member for Yuri’s club just after she left (or in other words, kicked out) from the band club at the beginning of the year. 

“Nothing, just a guy from the volleyball club looking for me.” Reina shrugged it off, just like she always did. “Nothing to worry about.”

Pretending that her problems weren’t real by never talking about it was practically her ninja way, but it was the only way she knew how to survive without losing her mind. And she did not want Yuri to worry that she would stop freelancing for the lit club. Her friend already had too much on her plate to worry again for Reina.

“You’re saying that makes me worry even more,” Yuri exclaimed as she took her seat beside Reina. She was and always been the therapist friend who always made sure to ask if anyone is having a good day and truly meaning it. “Anyways, do you mind giving me a helping hand for the club? The requests to write love letters for the sports club members, _especially volleyball club members,_ got really high these days.”

“Oh god, did you watch the Inter High prelims last week? Our school won second place! The Miya twins basically wipe the floor with their opponents’ face!” From her earshot, Reina could hear one of the squeals. 

As a fellow fangirl, she truly understood their sentiments. But jock worship had never been a good thing in the long run and Reina knew that, better than anyone.

“Well there’s your answer why the requests for your club services are getting higher,” Reina whispered as she threw a look to the other pair of girls sitting in the back of their class. “Don’t worry, I’ll drop by your club room after I’ve finished some business.”

Yep, Reina really should settle this business regarding how she could show up on Ojiro’s radar. A figure of a girl with long black hair popped up in her mind, but Reina brushed it off. There was _no way_ that _she,_ of all people, would associate herself with one of the sports club boys willingly. Well, if Mai did it out of spite and petty revenge, Reina would not blame her. Not after what had happened all those years ago.

If that was settled, maybe she would consider being a manager, just to kill her time. Consider being the key word. She was way ahead of her classmates in academics and had no problem finishing her tons of homework in a short amount of time. The spotlight would be a hassle though, since the club was one of the most popular ones in the school. It probably would be an easy job and Reina could be a caretaker if it meant holding up on her own in uncharted waters. 

Hopefully, nobody heard his request (even though his voice was rather loud to snap Reina out of her trance) about asking her to be the volleyball club manager. That is if he did not share it to people who got a whole ass big mouth.

***

“Two girls rejected your request to be our manager in the span of like several days?” 

Aran clucked his tongue as he rolled his eyes and spinned the ball on his hands. “Why did you say that as if it is so hard to believe, Atsumu? And no, only of them actually reject it. The other said to think about it.”

“Maybe that’s because I’m not the one who approached them,” the fake blonde had the audacity to look thoughtful before he burst into laughter. “But nah, I still don’t see why we need a manager. We’re doing fine so far and last week we’re the runner ups for Inter High. Ugh I still want to get the first place, but who needs memories, hm?”

Aran only gave him a side look that was purely judging and Atsumu heaved a sigh. “Fine, I know that the third years may not decide to retire after Inter High, that’s why I think we still got enough time with you all.”

“You must want something, that’s why you’re starting to be a sap,” Osamu, Atsumu’s twin brother, said in a deadpan tone. “Just admit it.”

“If you’re the one who approached them, you’re just going to show your true nature which is trash,” Suna piped in as he did the butterfly pose to cool down his muscles after today’s gruelling practice. “Honestly, Aran-san is the right choice.”

“Why do we need a manager? If you pick one of the girls from my fan club, they would disturb my practice with their squealing.”

Nobody was saying it aloud, but after the third years graduated, the one who would be chosen to be captain next year was highly likely Atsumu. As skilled as a player he may be, Atsumu would need someone to reign in his behavior. Or the way he literally brought out the worst of anyone. Only Kita was exempt from that, but then again Aran had never considered Kita to be in the same league as normal people. Everyone knew that Aran got his worries about the fate of the volleyball club if he did not find a manager who could handle Atsumu’s shit and the sheer chaotic energy of his juniors before he graduated. 

Suna rolled his eyes. “Only you who would let the noise distract you. As a matter of fact, I _need_ to see at least one girl to refresh my eyes after spending almost every free time I have with you people.”

“By the way, Samu,” Aran asked the gray haired brother, who was stretching his arms behind his neck while pointedly ignoring Atsumu’s antics. “Are you close with the girl who dropped by the club several days ago to observe our practice? She’s Suna’s and your classmate right?”

“Did you mean Ichijou Mai?” Suna’s ears _always_ perk up whenever his radar senses a good gossip. Quiet and lazy as he may seem, but the way Suna was almost always up to date with the recent and hottest teas to spill was unnerving like his skills as a middle blocker. “Aran-san, please tell me you also ask her to be the manager for our club.”

“I did and she flatly refused. Too busy with her job as a model.”

“That’s too bad,” Suna exclaimed with a shrug. “But a pretty face won’t be enough to maintain control over this club. Not even if she doesn’t care much about...” Suna trailed off, his eyes went to Atsumu, who was ticked off from the stare and glared back acting like he was the edgiest guy in the room. 

“How did you know someone as pretty as she is, Samu, I still have no idea.”

“Guys you better finish your cooling down exercises and go home rather than gossiping. We still need to rest.” 

Kita’s calm and collected voice got everyone stopped talking and immediately focused on cooling down. Of course their captain was done with his cooling down and was good to go home. 

“Who is the second girl you talk to, Aran-san?” Ginjima asked. “If she’s anywhere near as cold like Ichijou, who manages to remain unfazed even dealing with Tweedledee and Tweedledumb, I’d say she has a chance to survive.”

The thing was, it was damn hard to find female students who weren’t affected by the Miya Twins effect. Aran inwardly hoped that he could still somehow talk Shibazeki into becoming the manager. From what he had gathered of Shibazeki she did not seem like someone who would be easily intimidated, but she did seem somehow a little bit shaken when he offered for her to be the manager.

Mai may have offhandedly said about wanting to keep her anonymity, but Aran had to respect her unsaid wish. Something told him that the two girls had history with each other, what and how, his understanding did not go beyond that.

“It wouldn’t be wise to lose focus during cool downs due to gossiping,” Kita’s voice once again pierced through Aran’s train of thought. “By the way Aran, we should talk about the prospect of having a new manager.”

Oh God, it was time to talk about it with Kita. Aran gulped but nodded. From the corner of his eyes, he could see Gin started to take the cool downs much more seriously. If Kita was going to talk about this with him, then having a manager would truly stop being a prospect and start to manifest into reality.

At times like these he regretted being way too focused on volleyball, costing him the networking skills he needed beyond his club. He sincerely hoped that if Reina would agree to be a manager, she would do a hell good job at it. Since they got Spring High to focus on, Aran did not really worry if Reina needed more time to think.

The problem would start if after Spring High Tournaments, he still had yet to secure a manager. 


	3. ambushed

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> a/n: anyways this is the update. enjoy

**_Two days later_ **

“Class is dismissed! Don’t forget to write an essay about the importance of the Meiji Era to our current civilization.” Maeda sensei, the Japanese History teacher, clapped his hand as he announced the assignment for next week’s class.

There was a collective groan, but Reina tuned them out. She needed to get off class pretty fast to hand over an essay to her buyer, drop by Yuri’s clubroom to pick up some letters. And to pick up her younger sister from the modelling agency building after Makoto was done with her photoshoot. 

“Yuri, I’m off to handle some...transaction first,” Reina informed as she zipped her school bag and faced her best friend. “I’ll drop by your club room after that.”

“Take your time, Reina,” Yuri replied, tugging her black school bag on her shoulders. “You’re only freelancing, so no pressure.”

Sometimes Reina wanted to shake on Yuri’s shoulders and make her friend admit out loud that it was okay to ask for more help. But alas, it was not like Reina could force anyone to do what they weren't ready to, not even Yuri. 

Her newest buyer was Suna Rintarou and from what Reina knew about him, he was also in the second year and a member of a volleyball club. She inwardly sighed, apparently, the universe made it even more obvious it would be hard for her to separate herself from the sport. At least Suna was not one of the flashy members of the club and they both agreed through text to meet up discreetly behind the gym after school hours ended. Having a jock as her client was not really ideal, but Reina needed the cash. 

The reason she chose Inarizaki was due to the ensemble band club. Even though her father was more than overjoyed seeing that Reina chose to attend a sports powerhouse school. Last year, Reina had yet to realize just how much the other non sports related clubs in her school were infested with the serious issue of jock worship. 

“Oh, so you’re Shibazeki who is among the ones that left the club at the beginning of the year,” suddenly a grating voice greeted Reina from behind. She was just about to walk down the staircase. Turning her back, Reina saw to whom the voice belonged to.

A pretty and tall girl was standing right before her eyes. From the way her sharp gaze seemed to size Reina up and her school skirt was cut too short from the required length, this stranger was the type to wear layers of superficiality to cover up their own insecurities.

If Mai was here, her former best friend would end this stranger right on spot with her withering gaze. Her childhood friend in Nagano, on the other hand, would just handle the situation with unnerving kindness. 

Alas, Reina had acknowledged in her own self reflection that she was someone that brought out people’s worse qualities (at least at first). Not because she was a terrible person, but rather her _seemingly_ nerdy disposition gave the illusion that she was someone easily stepped on. 

“Is there anything I can do to help you with?” Reina asked with a flat tone. She had to wait for a reason to drop all niceties and went apeshit. 

"I'm just seeing who I replaced in the club for the first chair of the trumpet section," The girl said with a smirk. “I heard you’re a clubless student now these days.”

In a school like Inarizaki where club culture thrived almost more than anything else, not being in an after school club was like a one way ticket to the depth of social abyss. But alas, it did not stop Reina from choosing to leave. 

Oh, it was just another insignificant person from her past club life. There were times in which she regretted not going back to Nagano with her mother and chose to live with her paternal grandparents in Hyogo instead. This stranger would wish Reina chose to go back to Nagano instead of being here, preparing herself for yet another verbal battle.

“I see,” Reina answered promptly. Her mind was scanning this stranger to match up with a name from her database. She was always better with names rather than faces anyway. “Well, if that is all you have to say to me, I have to go.” _Sorry, as much as I would like to indulge you in your sick display of superiority, I have important matters to settle right now._

Reina left with no words and she braced herself for that girl to grab her wrist. That sort of shit when lady luck wasn’t smiling in her direction somehow always happened to her. 

Indeed the girl did it. “Are you saying that you're so high and mighty just because you along with your group of ronin who don’t belong in a club choose to leave the band?” 

Slowly, Reina unhooked her wrist from this girl’s grasp. Before she could say another word, Reina heard an unfamiliar voice. “What is up with the commotion here?.”

Reina felt the grasp around her wrist loosening and the girl who confronted her immediately took a step back and ran to the other direction. Of course she was a coward and Reina had yet to get the chance to actually find out her name to add it to her list of people she needed to avoid. 

“Uh, thanks I guess,” Reina said as she rubbed her wrist. She looked up to see a black haired boy with spiky hair who was carrying a gym bag on his shoulders. “Sorry, I don’t mean to get in the way or something like that.”

It was not like she could say that a girl from her old club was trying to show superiority. The boy nodded and Reina started to remember his name. Akagi Michinari, third year student who belonged to the boys’ volleyball club. She winced, remembering that only two days ago Ojiro-senpai asked her to be the manager. 

And she was on her way to the gym to meet up with Suna to give him the package answer key and to pick up her payment. 

“No problem, I just see that you’re trapped in a situation you don’t want to be in,” Akagi replied with a friendly smile. “It is written all over your face. And believe me, I know how crazy some people can be, especially in this school.”

Her face? Reina put her hands on her face to pinch it. It seemed that her poker face game was not as good as she thought. She couldn't help but to agree with Akagi-senpai’s words about the crazy people though. 

“Uh...I don’t mean to keep you here, so…” Reina wanted to kick herself for being her awkward self. Her words often failed around strangers who showed unexpected kindness, like Michinari-senpai. “Gomen, what I mean is...I won’t hold you back here, Akagi-senpai” 

She hated the way she wanted to shrink back into her shell whenever she had no idea how to react. It had been so long since Reina was on the receiving end of a random act of kindness. 

“No problem, it is nice to have a well mannered kouhai for once...gomen, what’s your name again?” 

Dealing with volleyball players was almost a big no for Reina’s high school life rules, but honestly the ones she already met like Akagi and Ojiro, they made her want to rethink about her (not so) good opinion about athletes in general. Not so sure about the jocks who were also in the second year, but Reina only knew of the Miya twins from afar and Suna was...just Suna. Although that did not change how Reina was thankful she had her father’s name instead of her mother’s. “It is Shibazeki Reina, Akagi-senpai.” 

_Not Murphy at least because she had to admit there were times her name sounded like a white girl if she used her mother’s maiden name._

“Kay then, good luck, Shibazeki-san. Make sure you don’t get ambushed by anyone crazy,” Akagi said as he waved at her, leaving Reina alone to stand in the hallway to process what the fuck just happened. 

***

_Where is she?_

Suna Rintarou let out his breath as he was scrolling through his phone gallery, inwardly snickering at the snapshots and videos of the Miya twins fighting. Yep, one day when either one or both of them wound up to be famous, Suna would sell these gold mines for profit. 

He waited for Shibazeki Reina behind the gym for her to deliver the answer key he bought. From his radar, she was one of the outcasts by choice. But somehow she made a wide network of acquaintances that helped to boost her underground business of selling answer keys for their textbook or getting paid to do homework. 

But then again, being miss smarty pants who more or less saw the opportunity to capitalize half of the students who were too brain dead to give a shit about school (yeah including himself), Suna had to give it to her that Shibazeki got brains. 

“Gomen, I’m late,” her familiar voice was heard first before Suna saw Shibazeki emerged from the trees (at least it looked like she did). “I...Never mind, I got something to do before dropping by here.”

Suna did not doubt that, so he only nodded. It was not like his relationship with Shibazeki went beyond professionalism. Somehow he heard about her dealings from a friend of a friend and decided to text her about their transaction. Not everyone knew about it though, certainly not the dumb twins who were too absorbed with their shared brain cells. Suna would grab any opportunity to help him slack in class. Although Suna hoped that Kita did not know he was sort of getting a shortcut about his schoolwork though. “Yeah, no problem. I think I’m the only one in the club who even knows what you’re doing.”

“Ha, I definitely can see that.” 

Suna sensed she got something more to say. One would always get that sense with Shibazeki, as if she was holding herself back from saying a lot of words. He wanted to snicker, if Shibazeki was indeed one of the girls approached by Aran to be manager, now that would be a show to see how she fared with the chaos of the boys’ volleyball club.

She handed him the thick folder, must be full of the answer keys that would help Suna to sleep through his classes and slack off instead of paying attention. And if Osamu wanted to get his hands on this, Suna would make him pay twice the amount he paid to Shibazeki.

He graciously accepted while handing her the cash, to which she took immediately. Now there’s the crack in Shibazeki’s poker face. 

“Hey, Suna, if you don’t mind Osamu and I wanted to-” 

It felt like a gust of wind blew right into his face, but for once Suna could experience what he hadn’t with Kita-san with Shibazeki: to see a mask truly crack in one brief moment before it was right on place again. 

Behind Suna, Ichijou Mai emerged with Osamu. Both of them were getting tighter as friends (understandable since Osamu sat beside Mai for weeks) and as much as Suna’s gossip radar was already on them, he sensed nothing beyond mere friendship. 

It had already been several days since Mai dropped by their club practice to watch them play to get an ‘inspiration’ or whatever they called it for her upcoming photoshoot with the Volleyball Monthly magazine. Honestly, having her around was sort of a breath of fresh air. She managed to tune out the twins’ hijinks and never once overstepped her boundaries as a guest. The pretty girl offered to help around like filling in the water bottles, but Aran said it was fine she just sat and watched the boys practice. 

Suna sensed something beyond his knowledge had transpired between the two of them, but Mai was not an easy nut to crack. 

“Oh, hello there, Reina,” Mai greeted, her voice still as emotionless as ever. “Good to see you here.”

Shibazeki, to her credit, only managed a small smile as she nodded. But the message was clear for everyone in the room to read, Shibazeki would rather not waste her voice to reply to Mai's greeting. 

“I swear to GOD, today all of you are TRASH AND-” Atsumu’s nagging voice broke through the forming tension in the air. “Oops.”

Suna would never, ever, bet his life on Atsumu on whatever situation and this right here just cemented his judgment even further.

The two girls were staring at each other and Shibazeki was the first one to break off the staring contest, directing her blank stare into Atsumu. At least the blonde had the audacity to take one step back. Just one though. 

“ARAN KUN, IS THIS THE SAME GIRL WHO YOU APPROACH TO BE THE TEAM’S MANAGER?” 

Suna gulped. If that was the case... holy shit. Holy fucking shit. Aran never did get the chance to mention the girl’s name though? 

He saw the gears working behind Shibazeki’s blank stare, her brain working on the situation. For a split second, Suna saw horror filled Shibazeki’s eyes. He flicked his glance towards Mai, who for once wore a look other than her usual emotionless mask. For once, the ice queen looked worried with the way her eyebrows scrunched and her mouth dropped open. Damn this was the first time Suna saw this girl emote something other than deliberate nonchalance. 

There was a long and convoluted history between these two girls, Suna figured out. Whew, he had no idea today would be the day he sipped way too much tea. 


	4. bullseye

Well fuck. 

But of course Reina could not swear out loud, right? It would go against what her father’s family tried to hammer into her brain ever since they moved back to Japan from California. 

Now she literally had zero control of the situation, courtesy of dumb blondie here who decided to scream for Ojiro-senpai. Now the latter probably think Reina was here to confirm about his proposition. 

There were the identical looking Miya brothers who definitely reminded Reina of Tweedledee and Tweedledumb, Suna, Mai and of course, Ojiro-senpai who was walking towards the back of the gym where they were all huddled together. 

“Ah, thank the heavens, Shibazeki-san!” Ojiro-senpai looked positively happy, the dude was practically glowing and Reina did not have the heart to interrupt.

Now she really wanted to curse at Tweedledum for ruining her smooth escape from the gym. 

Reina should’ve seen it coming. She really should’ve known that agreeing to meet up with Suna in the back of the gym instead of in the front gates would end up her being cornered. Not that she expected the friggin Mai to be here. And Reina was sure she slipped a little when controlling her expressions in front of Mai. After all, as much as Suna was a lazy ass, he got sharp eyes for these kinds of things (read: tea spilled). 

And from what she heard about his volleyball aptitude, Suna was a beast on the court. 

_ It wasn’t like you got the chance, Reina _ , she inwardly consoled herself. 

But if she disclosed the exact reason why she was here, it would mean exposing her and Suna along with the transaction they were doing. The last thing Reina wanted was to ever indulge herself with volleyball business, ever again. 

“I...there is a misunderstanding here,” Reina tried to explain. From the way Ojiro-senpai’s face looked downtrodden in one second, Reina’s heart squeezed a little. Okay, a lot. He truly reminded her of a gentle giant at times. “I...I think now is not exactly a good idea to make a decision this important, especially choosing a sports club manager right? Their workload is heavy, taking notes when practice matches, washing the jerseys, keeping the players hydrated and so on.”

“It seems that you’re well versed about what a sports manager should be doing, Shibazeki-san,” Miya Osamu added, causing Reina to flinch. “I don’t see what’s wrong. You’re not one of the rabid fangirls who try applying as manager but is only here to ogle at my ugly twin brother.”

“Correction, both of you are ugly because you both are identical to each other,” Suna piped in and Atsumu looked positively ready to get into a fight. 

“For once, Osamu made a valid point.” Ojiro nodded. “But have you really considered all the options, Shibazeki-san?”

Reina’s gaze flicked to Mai, who did not waver at all. If not for the way she knew how Mai would faint after running just one lap (and it had nothing to do with her athletic abilities), Reina would’ve thought her former friend would make a good middle blocker. 

“I...no, I haven’t. What I’m trying to say here now is not the right time for me to confirm it. I haven’t told my friend yet about this. She needs all the help she can in her own club and well...it would be rude if I just say yes without consulting her.” 

Okay that was the truth, at the very least. Just not the entire truth. She could feel Mai’s gaze boring holes into her forehead, but in Reina’s opinion, Mai no longer had any say about what decision she would be making. 

Not after the way Mai lashed out all those years ago to her face. 

“Fair enough,” Atsumu said. “I personally don’t think your friend’s club is important and it isn’t like we need a manager or something.”

Reina flicked her glance towards the blonde setter, who honestly looked like a washed up yankee that would not survive even one second in a street fight. Whatever drug Miya Atsumu’s fangirls were on, it definitely messed up their perception enough to fawn over him. “With all due respect, I only answer to Ojiro-senpai because he is the one who approached me with this proposition.”

She heard the sound of a camera shutter and turned her head to see Suna who was already prepared with his phone. Whatever, Suna was not the type to spread gossip to just anyone unless he wanted her to make him go broke by giving him a special price for their future transaction. 

A low whistle came from Osamu who was about to clap his hand, but the stares he got from everyone stopped him. 

“What is going on here?” a calm voice asked, causing everyone minus Mai to flinch and turn their heads to the source of the voice.

Silence set into the court and the dizziness caused by her anxiety that spiked up to almost sky high levels did not help her to maintain her balance. 

_ A little help in here, please!  _ Inwardly Reina silently begged. But still, nobody said a word. Everyone just looked into each others’ eyes, as if they were all quietly agreeing that it was better for her to deal on her own. Shifting her gaze towards the new voice, Reina sized the new stranger up. He was not taller than either Ojiro-san or Suna or the twins, so height was definitely not the reason why their mouths were all zipped tightly. 

He must’ve been the captain, but Reina’s brain was too cogged by building panic and embarrassment to even remember his name. A voluntary outcast, she may be, but she was good with names. 

Okay, it seemed that everyone in the room was more than ready to throw her under the bus, leaving her to grapple alone for at least  _ something  _ to keep her from drowning in embarrassment and mortification all rolled into one. 

“So...nobody is going to say a word?” 

Reina did not even have to be a regular for the club to realize that it was a  _ really  _ bad idea to displease this guy. The tension on the atmosphere just thickened to the point it almost choked her. It was crystal clear that she should save herself, since nobody was willing to step in. 

“Gomen…” Reina began as she slowly raised her hand. “I...It’s my fault. There is a...slight misunderstanding….” 

Well, that was an understatement of the century if one was inclined for a hyperbole. 

“And that is?” The (probably) captain continued, his gaze never once waver as he shifted his attention to her. Reina could feel the crushing weight of his gaze on her started to take effect. 

“I am...not here to confirm the proposition to be the manager,” Reina finally answered, applauding herself for not choking out the words or making a fool of herself. “At least not yet. I...still need some time to think about it. Being a manager is not a position to be taken lightly, there are a lot of weight and responsibilities tied into the job that needs to be thought about thoroughly. I’m actually here for Suna, but one thing led to another and...here we are.” 

The seconds that flew by felt dangerously slow, but finally the captain only nodded. “Okay then, you can drop by here anytime to confirm whether you’re going to accept it or not.”

With that he turned away as he beckoned to the other guys. “Come on, everyone, there’s still lots of time left in practice.”

Slowly, the crowd that surrounded her trickled down to nothing. Well, almost nothing. Suna and Mai were the ones left, but Reina could handle them easily. 

“So…” Suna quipped up, his keen eyes glancing at both Mai and Reina. Reina could not shake off the feeling that she was being marked, even though he had no reason to. She’s not an athlete that he would have to face on court. “I’m not going to witness a girl fight, won’t I?”

Jesus Christ. Apparently once the transaction between them was clear, Suna felt zero apprehension of crossing the line of professionalism and just personal invasion. 

“Nope. Sorry to disappoint you, Suna.” Reina shut it down with a mere raise of her hand. And she wasn’t apologetic about how she barely sounded sorry at all. 

“Well, Suna-kun.” This time it was Mai’s turn to speak up. Uh oh, Mai must’ve turned up the side that she usually showed her string of admirers. “If you wanted a show, you’ve come to the wrong place. A scene won’t happen when the other party has no care left to give.”

Mai nodded at her, to which Reina just dumbly responded with another nod. She was too astounded to even process Mai’s words until several moments had passed. 

One should wonder, if Mai’s words about someone not caring was about herself or about Reina. But then again, her former best friend had always been a puzzle that was hard to solve, especially for those who weren’t astute enough to see through the fortress of ice Mai put up to protect herself.

“Well, that was interesting,” Suna commented. 

“Don’t you have practice to go back to? I’m sure you don’t want your captain to size you up again, questioning why you’re not back, hm?”

For once, it was exhilarating to see the usually unflappable Suna showed signs of panic, even if it was just a gulp. “It’s not my turn to do the three-on-three match this time, I think.”

“Nobody is asking you for an explanation, Suna,” Reina pointed out with a smile. “Okay, I’m...going to take my leave. I’m sure you don’t want me to accept the position, right? And no need to answer that question, it is rhetorical.”

Before Suna could say another word or ask what rhetorical meant, Reina nodded at him and took her leave. Whew, aside from the piling up homework waiting for her (curse the advanced classes workload), Reina still had to think about everything that just happened today.

It was time, after all, to actually make a decision instead of keep going through her high school life like a makeshift robot that she never was. 

***

“Holy crap, Suna, what’s your deal with her until you can talk to someone  _ that smart _ ? Is she doing your homework for free?” Atsumu’s question managed to break the tension. Sometimes, his lack of tact and zero amount of consideration for anyone but himself could be a saving grace. 

Keyword being sometimes. And it was not that often either.

“Not telling,” Suna muttered as he dribbled the ball on his hands. Shibazeki must’ve thought to pull up the prices to make him pay for even suggesting her to meet up in the gym. “If you wanted to focus on practice, then stop yammering about forcing free labor on someone.”

“Nobody paid me enough to do my own homework,” Atsumu grumbled. Right beside him, his twin brother made a face. 

Shibazeki never did online transactions, but her presence was low enough to never invite unwanted questions. Until today, that is. 

He took a good look at Ichijou Mai, who seemed quietly determined not to say a word after Shibazeki left the gym. There  _ definitely  _ was a whole lot of history between them. Suna’s gossipy hunch  _ tingled  _ when the two girls stared into each other. It was like a girl fight waiting to happen between two stony people.

But it did not, sadly. Okay that was cruel, since Mai definitely did not look like she would last even a minute in a girl fight. Shibazeki on the other hand, Suna had seen with his own eyes just how downright menacing she could be. 

“Who is she to you?” Suna finally asked with his usual bored tone. “I thought you’re more like an ice queen who self isolates from everyone.”

“Well, Suna, it is obvious that she doesn’t want to talk about it” Atsumu pointed out, definitely did not grasp the gravity of the whole situation and said something that made sense, weirdly enough. “Anyways, we got to continue practicing to make sure most of you aren’t playing like trash during Spring High in January.” 

“I think you heard what the blondie said clearly,” Ichijou answered. It dawned upon Suna’s realization that this girl was very, very good at being evasive. But with her profession, it was to be expected. 

Suna still could not comprehend a girl who looked fragile like Mai was chosen to be a model for Volleyball Monthly. Owing some of his knowledge about fashion from his annoying younger sister, Suna can most definitely tell that Mai was more of like the girl who fitted into the ‘heroin chic’ kind of model with her waif-like body, willowy figure, yet devastatingly beautiful face. Definitely not the healthy type that was on the cover of sports magazines. 

But if one wanted to judge a person’s personality based on looks alone, then the Miya twins would be practically saints. The thought caused Suna to snort. 

“Hey, we gotta keep our head in the game!” Aran scolded, coming to Ichijou’s rescue. Whether he realized it or not, the volleyball club’s ace often played knight in shining armor to Ichijou. 

Suna scratched the back of his head, but his keen eyes did not miss the way Ichijou gave Aran a grateful look, which was gone in a split second. Somehow Aran’s words sounded familiar and Suna recalled that it was from High School Musical movies that his sister forced him to watch while dominating the TV. 

“Fine, fine,” he answered, imitating Osamu who more often than not said ‘ara ara’ to the point it almost became his catchphrase.

They decided to continue the practice with three on three. Suna was teamed with Atsumu and Gin while the other team consisted of Yuto, Osamu and Riseki. The third years took a back seat to watch how the second years and the first years would play off each other on court. 

“Okay, let us see which team will have the honor to go first,” Coach Kurosu said. It was a wonder that he barely flinched when the whole shebang almost went down while Shibazeki was busted dropping by to the gym. But then again, given the way he had to constantly deal with the second year’s shenanigans (yes including Suna himself), he could see the way nobody batted an eyelash at what almost just happened. “Tails for Atsumu’s team and Heads for Osamu’s.”

Apparently the fates decided the pisshead twin would win, as Mai watched from the bench. Atsumu as per usual, pulled off an impressive jump floater serve. She inwardly wondered how on Earth one could pack a massive power into a ball like that, making it fly high in the air to the other end of the court. 

On the bench, Aran took a seat beside Mai. He let out a low whistle seeing Atsumu’s nasty serve being received by his own twin brother. “Whew, he’s going to leave a big shoes to fill for the future regulars of the club, I’ll have to admit that,” Aran said to himself. “Only if he fixed his attitude...never gonna happen though.” He scrunched his forehead before letting out a laugh.

“I can never tell if he’s going to use which kind of serve he’s going to use,” Mai remarked, her eyes trained to the court, as if she was taking in every single part of it wholeheartedly. “But Reina most definitely can.”

Aran turned his head to look at Mai. For once there was a glint on her eyes, but watching Atsumu play volleyball sort of inspired that look. It made one question how on Earth someone could be so dedicated to a sport, lovingly so, while in reality his personality was close enough to a trash. 

“You can talk to me you know,” Aran said. “It’s not going to kill you to open up once in a while. While I can understand that Suna makes you weary because he is lowkey a gossipy hen, I’m here to listen.” 

“Reina’s family is very much closely associated with volleyball,” Mai said, answering while at the same time being evasive. “I...have no intention to cause havoc or anything by suggesting her to be your manager. I genuinely think she would be a good manager. Just search her up on the internet and you can see why. Gotta do some digging though.” 

“I don’t mind if you suggest her to be the manager,” Kita’s calm voice said, causing Mai to look away from the ongoing match towards the captain. “But, if she doesn’t do it out of her own willingness, it would be counterproductive, especially the way almost half of us almost cornered her into making a decision rashly.”

Aran looked at his captain and he still had no idea just how Kita could basically dissect anyone with just one glance. It was the kind of ability that one was just simply born with, at least for Kita-san it was. 

Mai stayed quiet and Aran sensed that it was her way to still get a semblance of dignity after being called out in the open like that. 

“I don’t know what happened between the two of you, but Kita-san is right, Ichijou-san.” Aran scratched the back of his head, pushing down the urge to reach out to Mai, to maybe give her a little bit of comfort.

“I…” Mai trailed off, unable to conjure up the right words. “I know... I’m sorry, it is out of my selfishness, but at the same time I mean no harm.”

“To be fair, I definitely think if Shibazeki decided to be the manager out of her own volition,” Kita continued, “she would be able to ease off Aran’s worries of leaving the club in the hands of the second years once we graduated.” 

And there it was again, Kita hit the bullseye the way not even Aran’s spikes could. Aran wondered if Shibazeki Reina was ready for her demons to be laid bare right before her eyes if she decided to accept the offer. Hopefully she would because Aran honestly had no idea which female student to approach yet again. 

Volleyball really did cost him his networking skills beyond his club members. 


	5. explanation

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> a/n: more insight to reina's family life and the reason why she is so apprehensive to be a manager. i hope you guys love it!

Reina decided to text Yuri that she would not be dropping by to the latter’s club room. Her energy was already depleted from the confrontation earlier with the boys’ volleyball club.

 **REINA:** _Yuri, gomen I can’t drop by to your club today. My head hurts and I need some time to recharge._

She was already putting on her outdoor shoes when her phone vibrated from her school’s blazer. Yuri must’ve replied. Reina adjusted her leg as she fished for her phone. 

**YURIPPE:** _Don’t worry! Rest well, Rei-chan, I’ll update you on what’s going on. But do tell me, did something happen in your usual transaction that caused your head to hurt?_

Only Yuri who would’ve guessed something must have gone wrong. Sometimes it was just plain scary how Yuri could easily read Reina so well. 

Reina heaved a sigh as she texted Yuri back. Not to mention her weekly phone call with her grandfather. Oh God, he would definitely be interested to listen. Grandpa Aaron would not want her to force herself into something she was not mentally stable enough for.

Especially not after what had happened all those years ago.

 **REINA:** _I’ll call you later. Gotta pick up Makoto from the modelling agency and well… you know how it goes in my house._

Or rather, what did _not_ happen in her house. Her father would be busy with his job with the Japanese Volleyball Association and her paternal grandparents were having their regular meetup with fellow elderly people in the neighborhood. Nobody would be around to pick up Makoto and the job fell on Reina’s shoulders. 

It was fine anyway, Makoto may be the baby of the bunch, but she already made enough money to move out and rent a small room to live on her own. And they usually stayed out of each other’s business. 

Reina was used to it, living in a separate world from others where she was the one on the outside looking in. And Makoto was destined to be the star of every stage she was on. Just like their older brother used to be and just like Mai. 

As she adjusted her school bag, Reina let out her breath, a method of calming herself when an upcoming panic attack almost seized her from the inside. As she walked out from the locker room towards the exit door, Reina looked up to watch the blue sky stretched across the horizon. 

She could not help but to think of Hirugami Sachiro and the peaceful air of Nagano every time she saw the blue skies, reminded of the peaceful days of her life when she did not have to bear the heavy weight on her shoulders. The days when she and Sachiro would lie down together in his house’s backyard to watch the clouds after school and just talk. 

Although she knew it would be futile to find peace from a past that no longer existed, Reina could not help but to think what would be of her and Sachiro, if her family never moved away to the USA all those years ago. 

Reina felt her phone vibrate again and she took it from her school blazer’s pocket and squinted. A message from Makoto.

 **DNA SHARER:** _Reina, you don’t have to pick me up from the agency, I still have some job to do with the talent manager. I’ll be home late._

It took her several seconds to process, but it seemed Makoto did not want Reina to pick her up from the agency (which was not that far from Inarizaki) to go home together. They were not close by any long shot, but Reina sensed something a little fishy that her younger sister did not want her to pick her up. Oh well, maybe Makoto was trying to rebel a little from their father’s mandate to always wait for Reina to pick her up before going home. 

Reina would not blame Makoto for doing so. Their father was barely around, too busy drowning himself in work to even realize that he got two daughters under his custody. At the same time, he was trying to grapple with whatever control he had left over his living children by putting a mandate that Makoto should always be with Reina whenever they were commuting. 

Maybe she really should’ve chosen to go back to Nagano back in the beginning of middle school when her parents returned to Japan. A new start in a new place when nobody knew her or could ask her probing questions was only tempting in the beginning when the newness had yet to fade away. 

***

“Tadaima!” Reina greeted as she opened the door. As she took off her shoes and slotted it to the shoe rack, Reina expected to be responded with silence. But to her surprise, she heard laughter from the kitchen. 

Most likely her grandparents were already back home from their daily meet up with the old people community in her neighborhood.

She approached the kitchen with a little bit caution, even though knowing that her neighborhood was not exactly crime ridden. But still, better safe than sorry. 

“Rei-chan,” her grandmother, or to be precise, her father’s mother, greeted with a kind smile. “Gomen, I’m just heating up the green tea for our guest here. ”

Guest? Reina was too point blank focused on making sure there was no obvious intruder to the point she did not see there was a stranger (albeit an invited one) in her house. Her gaze shifted to a fellow old woman with a kind eyes who nodded at her.

It took Reina almost five seconds before she remembered that she had to bow and introduce herself. “Ano...my name is Shibazeki Reina.”

“Ah, you got a very nice granddaughter here, Motoko-san,” the old lady commented. “My name is Kita Yumie. My grandson also attends the same high school as you do, Inarizaki High, right?”

Reina gulped, but at the same time she almost wanted to laugh at how funny the universe was playing with her. Kita-san’s grandmother was also in the same elderly community of the neighborhood as her grandparents do. “Yes, indeed. Gomen, I have to go up to my room, there is still lots of homework to do.”

At least that part was not a lie. And the fact she had to do her weekly video call with her _other_ grandfather who was in Nagano. 

“Rei-chan, where is Makoto?” her grandmother asked, causing Reina to almost stop dead in her tracks. “Aren’t you supposed to pick her up from her agency?”

There was this weird balance of hovering and neglect when it came to her father’s side of family. Most of the time, her grandparents and her father let both Makoto and Reina do their own thing. She never really developed a close familial relationship with them, her walls already building up when she moved to Hyogo to live with them. But occasionally when they chose to play the parental guidance card, it was the time Reina would use her endless list of excuses to evade their questioning. 

It was as if they could not decide to be completely attentive or being outright neglectful, but also wanted to ease up their guilt for not understanding what to do with having two teenage girls under their custody. 

Reina took a deep breath before turning her body to face her grandmother. At least Reina knew that her grandmother was not the type to make a big deal out of a small situation. She was just curious why Makoto was not with Reina. And probably to show in front of the guest that she was an attentive grandparent. 

“She told me that I didn’t have to pick her up. She would be home late. And Makoto is already fifteen, I’m sure she can handle it,” Reina answered. 

“You see, Yumie-san, my other granddaughter Makoto is also an aspiring teen model,” Motoko Oba-san, explained. If Kita-san’s grandmother was anything like him (read: could see through bullshit with ease), then she did not show it.

“Gomen, once again please excuse my leave. I still have a lot of responsibilities to attend to.” 

Once again she bowed at both of the elderly women who smiled at her before peacefully chatting about their day and routine. Or talk about their respective grandchildren. Reina knew it was supposedly the time to pick up some intel on Kita Shinsuke, but if she was being honest to herself, he did not seem the type to even have a hair breadth of weakness. 

She carefully walked up the staircase and the corridor that would lead her to her bedroom. At least in this house Reina did not need to share a room with Makoto. Their father’s salary was more than enough to afford a separate bedroom for them, along with gifts and presents to make up for his lack of presence at home. Or his sick need to still maintain a semblance of control to the household while not being around. 

At least Reina knew who to go to if she was running out of funds that she got from her side business. Or she should try playing the trumpet in the streets for some cash. 

Opening up her room, Reina walked towards her desk to put down her school bag and sat on the chair right across it. Somehow on the back of her head since she consciously choose to escape Nagano, Reina knew that she was going to have this conversation with her grandfather soon enough. 

She just did not expect it right when her high school club days were over before it could ever begin. Kudos to Inarizaki High’s Brass Band Club. 

Turning on her laptop, she waited for the screen to load before clicking on the Skype icon. Hopefully Grandpa Aaron would not notice the inner turmoil within her soul. But Reina could never hide anything from him, even if she wanted to. And the old man had keen eyes to see even the littlest signs of mental fatigue.

After what had happened to Reina and Makoto’s older brother, everyone in the current Shibazeki household should’ve been keen to watch the signs of a mental breakdown. But their lack of attentiveness was honestly what Reina needed to retreat back into her shell and contently stay there. Choosing to live with her mother in Nagano back when her parents processed their divorce meant that Reina would be under _constant_ scrutiny, especially from the people who had known her for years.

Including Sachiro, her mother, her maternal grandparents. Reina could not bear it, to be put on a surgical table for everyone to slice her into ribbons just to see there was nothing wrong with her. Even if they meant well. Hence, she chose a completely foreign and new place for a start, where she was just a nobody. Not a person with a dead brother.

“Finally,” Reina mumbled as she adjusted her brightness screen as she chose to accept her grandfather’s incoming Skype call. She took a deep breath before putting on a smile. “Hey, Gramps, took you long enough to understand how to use Skype.”

Aaron Murphy, Reina’s grandfather, smiled as he adjusted the screen. “Hey, Reina. Took you long enough to answer my phone call.”

“That’s because I am busy with school.”

“How’s Inarizaki? Have you joined another club after quitting the brass band club? Surely you won’t be joining the volleyball club anytime soon, that would be treason,” he ended it with a laugh. “Just joking, kid. You know that this is your life to lead.” 

Reina’s mouth clamped shut and she was out of words. Her silence only gave her away to her grandfather, who already raised both of his eyebrows.

“I sense something fishy is going on. By the way, wouldn’t you want to watch my students in Kamomedai practice? I’ll turn the laptop so you can see, especially Sachiro here. He got real good with jump floaters, you know? You hadn’t talked to him for how long, almost seven years?” 

“Gramps, no,” Reina deadpanned, putting on her usual poker face. This again, she had to deal with her grandfather, who was the coach in Sachiro’s high school Kamomedai (a knowledge she involuntarily got from him), who constantly tried to get her to contact Sachiro. “I’m sure he won’t remember me. It’s been too long.”

Not going to happen anytime soon. Not if she wanted to deal with an abundance of shame of him seeing just how much she had changed from all those years ago. Reina had to gather her shit together before she could even entertain the idea of facing Sachiro ever again. 

And why would he even remember her? She was just his old childhood friend who went missing from his life without a trace because she was too much of a coward to tell him that she had to move away. 

“He remembers you clearly, Rei-chan,” Gramps said as he rubbed his chin. “I keep him updated too about you and your life, but you forbid me from giving him your contact details.”

“Or that is just you trying to play matchmaker to both of us,” Reina rolled her eyes. “Gramps, I love you, but really, if he is the hotshot you said he is now, he wouldn’t want anything to do with me.” 

“You should give yourself more credit, Rei-chan.”

He was right, but there had always been the voice in the back of her head, telling her that she should gather her shit together before even entertaining the idea of Sachiro getting to know her all over again.

“I know, but I’m more than sure he deserves someone better. And we’re still in high school, gramps, we are too busy to even indulge ourselves beyond academic problems and of course him with volleyball.”

It had truly been a long time since Reina last talked to Sachiro. But if her memory of him still serves, then he was way more passionate about animals than the sport. 

“Wouldn’t hurt to get you a headstart on finding a perfect match,” Grandpa Aaron retorted with a wink. Before Reina could even muster a reply, there was a loud voice from her grandfather’s end of the line.

“Oi, Coach, did you just see that I basically broke my own vertical jump record?!” a loud and boisterous voice that was loud enough to cause Reina’s ears to hurt, interrupted. “Wait, who are you talking to in your laptop?” 

Of course her grandfather had zero problems adjusting his laptop so Reina was faced with a white haired guy and his facial features reminded her of a seagull. But he was not the one who caught her attention. Beside Shuttlecock dude, there stood a very tall and familiar teenage boy with slightly curly brown hair. 

That must’ve been Sachiro, who else. Even though he stood rather far away, but still close enough for her to examine his face. Reina could see the moment recognition hit him as it was reflected on his eyes. 

Their eyes locked for several seconds and he was walking closer to the screen before Reina slammed down her laptop. “GRAMPS, WHAT THE HELL?!”

“Ah, Rei-chan, don’t turn off your screen!” 

Reina could feel blood rushing to her face. If that really was Sachiro, who was way taller than her (but he had always been a tall kid too), then yes he was the hotshot her grandfather always telling her about. She opened up her laptop’s screen again as she was greeted yet again with her grandfather’s cheeky smile. “Gramps, you really just turned the screen towards him like that.”

“Yes, yes I did. And no, I don’t feel guilty about it. You gotta admit that he has grown _a lot_ since his primary school days.”

“Ew, gramps, that is what we would call puberty and everyone experiences that including him. And you sound like Phineas Flynn!”

Several years living in the USA caused Reina to reference some of American cartoons that sometimes none of her friends in Japan could recognize. Even though Reina was not sure that her grandfather even knows what gibberish she was talking about.

“Is that the red headed character from a cartoon about two brothers who invent pretty cool stuff and have adventures while their older sister is trying to bust them? But anyways, do tell me about your high school, I heard that the boys’ volleyball club earned second place in the Inter High, but lost to Itachiyama in the finals.” 

Reina was at loss of words. “Gramps, what else did you and Mom talk about? There is no way you know about _that_ by sheer googling alone. Or the fact that you keep pushing Hirugami-san and I to talk again.”

“I’m worried about you, Rei, especially about your mental wellbeing,” finally her grandfather spilled the real beans. “I know I am all for you to go back to Japan after what had happened to your brother in the States, but the downfall is that...you’re in Hyogo now. You choose to live with your father and so does your sister. But are you getting the help you need there? I don’t want history to repeat itself again. I can’t exactly force you to go back to Nagano, that is going to be detrimental for you.”

“Gramps…” Reina trailed off. Maybe she really should talk to him about the offer of becoming a manager. “I was offered to be the manager for the boys’ volleyball club in my school,” she announced in a low voice, making sure that her voice would not crack. “I...don’t know, I don’t know if I have to accept it. But at the same time, turning it down means I am a coward and…”

She took a deep breath and let it out slowly. Admitting to herself that she had real problems and owed it to herself to move past it was hard enough. Admitting it to the person she looked up to the most like her grandfather, was especially harder. 

“If you ask me, this is the right opportunity for you to get over Takato’s death,” Grandpa Aaron replied, his voice soft and Reina could see the underlying sadness in his eyes. Of course, Taka-nii was the eldest son her father wished to have. The perfect heir to be the golden boy of volleyball. The space he left in the wake of his death was too big for either Reina or Makoto to fill. “Your younger sister must be doing a better job than you.”

“Makoto is stronger than me.”

“I won’t say that is the case, but you have always been more the type to quietly endure everything until you decide that enough is enough, your sister is just louder than you about that,” Grandpa Aaron conceded. Reina saw his screen blurred a little before revealing his face again. Only this time, there was Shuttlecock’s face on screen. “Kourai-kun, let me introduce me to my granddaughter, Shibazeki Reina.”

Reina only responded with her jaw dropped. “Gramps, you really just…”

“Oh, so you’re the girl who Sachiro has been talking about,” Shuttlecock said. 

Reina almost wanted to bash her head in shame. “Grandpa, please…”

“Okay I think that’s enough embarrassment for her, Kourai-kun, you may go,” Grandpa Aaron said as he made the shooing gesture. The screen managed to capture Shuttlecock’s face who was ready to protest before focusing back on her grandfather. “Anyways, Rei-chan…” his voice took a serious turn. “This is just my take, Reina, but I think it will be good for your mental wellbeing to be a manager. You’re going to reacquainted yourself with volleyball beyond the shadows of Taka’s death. But once again, make sure that you know what you’re getting into. It won’t be easy.” 

“How did you make peace with Taka-nii’s death?” Reina asked out of the blue. The question that always rings in the deepest corner of her mind. “Otou-san is still having a hard time even to admit that Taka-nii’s gone. Makoto is not as close as I am to Taka-nii. And Oka-san…” Reina stopped talking as she remembered her mother, a kind woman who had to pay the price of losing her children in one fell swoop. None of it was her fault, but Reina admitted that choosing to live with her father in the aftermath of the divorce for a fresh start was a selfish choice. “I hope she is doing okay.”

“I’ve already talked about it with your father, but you and your sister are welcome to visit Nagano during the Winter Break, right before Spring High. Your mother would definitely love to hear from you.”

“Would she, though?” Reina quietly asked. 

There was sympathy in Grandpa Aaron’s eyes. “The only thing that will help you sleep at night is to see it for yourself. Just like the way I tried to reach you out, Rei-chan.”

“Gramps…” Reina said as she cleared her throat. “I promise I’ll try my best.”

“No problem, just that you should really talk to Sachiro, I’m sure he can help you, but only if you let him.”

“Ha...you caught me right there, but no.”

Her grandfather let out a hearty laugh. “Anyways, I think I’m holding you back from doing your homework. I still have practice to watch over, but this week is so hectic that I almost can’t find the time to call you, especially after Sachiro continuously picks up random animals from the street to the gym.”

“You’re only saying that to make me intrigued and ask more about him,” Reina deadpanned, but she let out a smile. “Alright, thanks gramps. It is always nice to talk to you. Even if you’re always trying to play matchmaker to my non existent love life.”

“Precisely the reason why I am so gung ho about you reconnecting with him!"

Reina only heaved a sigh but she still smiled nonetheless. Her grandfather meant well and it was honestly becoming a running gag, the fact he was shipping her with Sachiro. Not that an old man would know the term ‘ship’ is. 

“Alright, I’ll let you off the hook. Bye, gramps.”

“Bye, Reina, remember what I said to you.” Grandpa Aaron ended the Skype call with a wink as they both hung up.

Reina looked up to her bedroom’s ceilings, her mind mulling over the choices she had to make. She pointedly ignored the piling up homework and essays she had to complete by the end of the week. Or maybe they could serve as the distraction she needed from making a decision.

But no, Reina owed it to herself to stop running away. 

This time , she could give the right answer to Ojiro-san with finality. She still needed the time to prepare herself mentally to face the dumbassery of the club like blondie and his twin brother and of course, Suna, who knew about her side business. 

Becoming a circus manager certainly would make her resume for college application getting even more interesting. 


	6. meddling

In retrospect, it was a really bad idea to accept . Usually, Reina was all for Fridays. She would not have to wake up early for school the next day. But today was the day she would have to drop the bomb on Yuri, telling her friend that she would not be able to freelance for the lit club as often as she used to. 

Facing the full body mirror right beside her desk, Reina took a deep breath. “You can do it, Reina. You’re going to tell Yuri about the proposition and you're going to see how she reacts before making a decision.”

Yuri was her first friend after going through two major friendship break-ups. Not that her first friendship with Sachiro ever ended so devastatingly like it did with Mai, but she certainly could not call him up and ask how he was doing with casual ease like nothing had happened. Point was, Reina did not want to hurt Yuri like she did to the people who mattered to her. 

The lit club meant a lot to Yuri, who had dreams of making it flourish. Her friend scoured more than enough of her own time and energy to keep the club running afloat without having to rely on the Student Council’s funds. Although at times Reina wondered if Yuri’s habit to pour her soul into everything she did would run her dry in the end. 

Reina had to admit it was a genius idea of Yuri’s to monetize their student body’s raging school spirit and jock worship towards their sports club by opening up a love letter writing service. Honestly, the raging school spirit in their school was only natural since Inarizaki High was a powerhouse of their sports. Not to mention the raging strong club culture that was so deeply ingrained in the school’s society. Reina had _a lot_ to say about that, but she still wanted to keep her head intact in its place, thank you very much. 

“Nee-san!” Makoto’s voice managed to knock Reina out of her inner monologue. It was followed with an obnoxiously loud series of knocking against Reina’s bedroom door. 

Another thing that differentiate Makoto and Reina, her younger sister was _good_ at making herself heard. In the most annoying way possible. 

“What?!” Reina snapped back.

At least during mornings like these, she and Makoto could still get a semblance of normalcy by snapping and bickering at each other. Just how sad her familial life that the only time they could be a normal family was during mornings, when everyone was just grumpy.

“Grandma is calling you up for breakfast!” 

“Tell her I’ll be downstairs in a minute!”

“You really need to get out more and live your life! You spend way too much time in your room!” 

Apparently the devil had taken over her younger sister’s body and spew some poison. But in all honesty, Reina could figure out that Makoto was having her usual pre menstruation syndrome that just got her extra grumpy. 

“Jesus,” Reina muttered as she adjusted her uniform’s collar. It was already time to exchange into Inarizaki summer uniform. She’d never felt comfortable wearing the summer uniform. Her breasts were big enough and usually the school’s blazer could hide it. But the summer uniform only seemed to flash her chest to the world and she even already got two sizes bigger than usual. 

She took one last look on the mirror and nodded to boost herself through the day before walking out of her room. Although not before grabbing her school bag from her desk. 

Trudging down the staircase, Reina was surprised at who was waiting for her in the living room. 

“Yuri?” Reina asked. Well they had promised to walk to school together, but Reina was surprised that her grandmother invited Yuri in. “Sorry, did I make you wait?”

Yuri turned her head to face Reina and flashed her usual kind smile. At first glance, she was not as devastatingly beautiful like Mai was. Mai, whose beauty from first glance could probably start a war. However, Yuri’s charm was the type that grew on people. Not visible at first glance, but grew more potent as one spent their time with her. 

Honestly, if there was anyone in Inarizaki who was up for the manager position, it was Yuri. She was kind, diligent, patient, albeit a little bit _too_ kind. Reina shook her head, nope the crazy boys, especially the twins would definitely run her over. 

To be fair, Yuri probably could survive. She already managed to run her club with the barest minimum of help and only four first year students who helped her run the operations. Her club was also the reason why she couldn’t focus on anything beyond what was already on her plate. 

“Nah, don’t worry,” Yuri said as she waved it off. “Your grandmother is a very welcoming hostess here.”

Reina raised her eyebrows, but did not comment any further. “Oba-san, I plan to grab breakfast and eat along the way to school. Not sure I can stay longer than necessary. My turn for class duties to set everything up in the classroom.”

Translation: Reina was not ready for her grandmother to ask Yuri all about her school activities. Yuri was trusted to keep her mouth shut about Reina’s side business, but she was not ready nonetheless. She was not ready to be all chummy 

“You sure you’re not eating omelette rice?” Makoto asked, nudging her head towards the dish laid on the middle of the dining table. “It tastes good. We both know it is your favorite.”

Sometimes, younger siblings just did not know when to stop. Not that Reina was giving Makoto a subtle hint to cut it out, but maybe she had to. Jesus, how pathetic her familial bonds were, to the point she could not even communicate with Makoto implicitly. 

“It’s fine, I really had to go,” Reina said as she bowed at her grandmother who wore a baffled look. Makoto, to her credit, did not say another word as she continued to chew her food while scrolling through her phone. “I need to get a life beyond this house.”

From the corner of her eye, Reina could see a little sneer formed on Makoto’s face. Yep, at least her younger sister knew that it was a jab at her. 

“Okay, stay safe, Rei-chan,” her grandmother said with a smile. “That goes to you too, Tsukikage-san. Are you sure that you’re already full due to having breakfast in your home? There’s going to be a lot of spare food here.”

Yuri only shook her head. “It’s fine, Shibazeki-san. Thank you for the offer.”

Both of them silently walked out of the dining room and towards the front door where the shoe rack stood on the right corner. Reina took off her uwabaki and put on her outdoor shoes. 

From the weight of the loaded silence between them, it was obvious that Yuri had a lot of questions to ask. 

“Not now,” Reina simply said, not once looking at Yuri’s face. If she did, she would not be able to hold it in. There was something about Yuri that always compelled Reina to tell the truth. Not just the half truths, but the full and ugly truth. “It’s better they don’t hear whatever I need to say,” she lowered her voice.

Yuri did not say a word, but then again she was better at handling silences and found comfort in it than Reina ever could. 

As they walked out through the front door after Reina closed it behind them, they still managed to keep the silence. It was not until they were already five steps away from the Shibazeki home that Yuri finally asked.

“So, what’s that about?” 

“I’m just not comfortable at…” Reina trailed off, not so sure about how to pick her words. “If you ask me I never really fully integrate into living with my father’s family.” 

Yuri stayed quiet, she knew better than to interrupt when Reina was talking. Once someone tried to put back the lid on the bottled feelings, it would take a long time before she would ever consider pouring them out again.

“The fact he’s almost never around only helps to create the distance,” Reina admitted. “It is easier like that. No one would get hurt.”

Correction: _she_ would not get hurt from having expectations about what a family should be like. Her parents’ divorce was something Reina had seen as something that was long time coming. But it did not make the effect any less shocking. 

“And it is also the reason why you easily gave up on the brass band club when it turns out they’re not the kind of found family you’re looking for,” Yuri pointed out, her gaze was focused to the streets. “You’re scared of letting yourself care for something, or rather, a system that you think would only disappoint you. Hence, you only pour your energy into your studies, an area in which you _know_ you won’t fail at.”

“Whew, you never hesitate to pack a lot of punches into your words.” The least Reina could do was not denying it.

Yuri let out a chuckle. “With most people, I’ll definitely put more care to smooth everything over, but not you. You  _ need  _ to be slapped by reality.”

“Ha, I should stay in America and probably see a grief counselor. ”

“But then you won’t meet Mai or me,” Yuri continued. “And you can see a grief counselor here.”

In retrospect, Reina’s old friendship with Mai resembled those friendships in the middle grade novels she always read. The beautiful and popular yet also untouchable girl with the antisocial outcast who was too smart for her own good. 

“I don’t regret meeting you,” Reina admitted, clutching her school bag tighter. At the very least, she knew she could say that without worrying about Yuri hurting her. “Not sure about Mai. I have a fishy feeling that…” Reina decided not to finish her train of thought.

Yuri also chose not to fill it in for her. Once again, silence set in between them. Yuri was used to silence and Reina wondered if her friend ever met someone who was _not_ comfortable with silence like Reina was. And how Yuri would deal with that. 

The road gradually became more crowded as they walked out of the suburban neighborhood towards the school district. 

As they were approaching Inarizaki High, there was a crowd of girls forming in front of the school gates. 

“Looks like you’re going to bag even more money for the club,” Reina commented towards Yuri, who only smiled. 

“Ahh!! Did you see?! The Miya Twins just entered the school gates!” 

Reina almost snickered. These girls should see just how much of a clown Atsumu could be. And the rude way he turned down female students who confessed to him.

“I’d rather go for Osamu though, strong and silent type!”

“Honestly, how can these girls basically map out their personalities while not even knowing an ounce about them?” Reina asked, mostly to herself. Although she would welcome an answer from Yuri. 

Reina turned her head to face her best friend and found her eyes rounded in surprise. Yuri’s eyes were trained to the Miya twins, or particularly the gray haired one. And not once Yuri had said a word about Osamu throughout their friendship that had been ongoing for a year and a half. The only thing Yuri mentioned about the Miya twins is that she was sick of getting paid for writing love letters for Atsumu. Understandable, honestly. But nothing other than that. 

An idea clicked inside her head, but Reina would definitely be a nutcase to actually put it into motion. 

Maybe there was a way to tell Yuri about the manager proposition without having to make it hurt for either of them after all. Although she had to confirm first of her suspicion. 

***

“Yuri,” Reina absentmindedly called as she twirled her favorite mechanical pencil. 

Their last class before lunch break just finished and almost half of their class (the highest tier in the college prep class) were gone. Their classmates were either gone to do some extra studying in the library or eat in the cafeteria. 

“Hm?” Yuri asked, her face was trained to the laptop screen right before her eyes as she was rapidly typing. Reina guessed that it was either for her love letter or the essay. Usually Yuri would go to her lit club room to spend her time, but she chose to stay here in class. “Gomen, Rei, but you’re right. The demand for love letters just spiked up again. Right after Miya Atsumu was seen turning down a confession, rather rudely if you ask me.”

Reina wanted to snicker. It was not often Yuri showed her indignance towards anyone, but Miya Atsumu really brought the worst out of even the best people. A“I...there is something I got to tell you. I… you are probably going to hate me.”

“Rei-chan, I’ve seen the worst shit you can pull even though we just know each other for a year and a half,” Yuri remarked, not once looking away from her laptop. 

“Are you really bringing up the fact I left my club and brought out a load of others who disagree with the brass band club culture as a whole against me?” Reina asked in a mock hurt tone. “Although, it is a long time coming for them. I just simply pull the trigger that everyone is too scared to do it.”

“Okay, but it seems to me that you want to ask something because right now I need all my focus to conjure up a believable letter that will get the basketball club captain to fall in love through words.”

There was a hint of fatigue and tinge of bitterness that Reina did not fail to notice. Even for someone altruistic like Yuri, squeezing money out of lovesick girls slowly eroded the altruism that Yuri had. “Well, I’m curious, since you’ve been writing all these letters for other people, is there anyone in particular that attracted your attention?”

“Get to the point, Rei, I’m really THIS close to cry and smash my laptop.”

Either Yuri was starting to have PMS or she really was on a deadline. Lit club letter deadlines always caused her best friend to literally morph from her usual calm self into a literal grinch. And there were times when they were studying together, Yuri would start to randomly scream as she covered her mouth and afterwards resume her studying like nothing was wrong. 

“Nah, I’m letting you finish up the letter before you combust.”

Yuri grunted as she rapidly typed, before heaving a sigh and closed down the laptop. She laid her head on top of her laptop and groaned. “Sometimes I don’t know why I am signing up for the lit club in a friggin sports oriented school.”

“I don’t think now is the right time to cry over your life choices, but there is one thing I want to ask,” Reina answered, not bothering to beat around the bush anymore. It was a split second from Yuri’s end when she looked at Miya Osamu this morning when they were entering the school gates. “About whether you start to develop feelings for anyone you’ve written letters to in the name of others.”

Yuri suddenly froze and Reina knew she hit a sore point. 

“Is it Miya Osamu?” Reina asked softly. 

Slowly, Yuri adjusted her body to sit up straight, her gaze not once turned to see Reina in the eyes. “Well…I don’t exactly harbor any kind of good feelings towards his twin.”

“We’re not talking about his twin brother, but rather the gray haired one who is also one of the most popular boys in our school.”

Yuri heaved a sigh as she put her head on her hands. “How did you figure it out?”

“To appease you, I only found out this morning. It is not hard to miss the look you gave him.”

“I knew that if Osamu and I are in normal circumstances, he won’t notice me,” Yuri remarked, there was no bitterness in her tone this time. She spoke as if it was a matter of fact. “Well it is not like we’re in the same classes, but anyways.”

“Are you saying that you’ve known him before high school?” Reina asked, crossing her arms as she tried to figure out the scenario in which her best friend had a chance encounter with the other half of the famous Miya twins. 

Reina recalled that Osamu was hanging out with Mai in the gym, causing her to wrinkle her nose. Mai represented everything that Reina had left behind (or lost) back in middle school, while Yuri represented the current chapters of her life in high school. If Osamu would one day become the red string that would cause both of Reina’s past and present to collide, Reina did not even want to think about it. Hopefully she could play matchmaker to her friend without having to face her past. 

“Well…” Yuri trailed off, finally morphing back to her usual normal self. “We were ten when I first met him. In a hospital ward as roommates.”

Reina was stunned into silence, her fingers stopped twirling her pencil. “Whoa and...did you two get close?”

There was a solemn smile on Yuri’s face, causing Reina to ponder about how their worlds could ever collide. “I’d like to think we were.”

“Wait, but you don’t go to Inarizaki for him right?” Reina asked. 

“Oh God, no. Inarizaki is closest to my house and honestly, as much as there are…feelings, I promised myself not to be that stupid,” Yuri answered, reddish hues spread across her cheeks. 

Reina watched her best friend, who already came to terms with her feelings for Miya Osamu. The idea to put an anonymous request for the lit club to write a love letter for Osamu only strengthened its roots in Reina's mind. Yes, there should've been a lot of cash involved in order for Yuri to take the job seriously. 

And it would give Yuri something to occupy her mind with while Reina dropped the bomb about the offer to be the volleyball club manager. 

First, she had to go to the library to type the request (so it wouldn't be traceable to her handwriting). And afterward she had to drop by the gym after school hours ended. She had to do everything by today before the courage infused within her after the talk with her grandfather evaporated. And she _really_ owed it to herself to start moving past the grief of losing Taka-nii and stop blaming the sports he used to love very much. 

Standing up from her seat, Reina patted Yuri's shoulders. “Yuri, there's a place I have to be at. Catch you later.”

Reina dashed out of class before leaving Yuri any chance to reply back. As she rushed through the corridor, Reina failed to notice that there was someone who was walking towards her direction.

Before she knew it, Reina clashed against the stranger, causing her to lose balance. But her fast reflexes developed from accompanying athletic practice with her older brother caused her to grab a hold of herself as she stumbled back. 

“Hey, you gotta use your eyes when you’re--” 

Reina looked up, only to be greeted by none other than the setter of the boys’ volleyball club himself, Miya Atsumu. 

“Oh, it’s you,” Reina remarked as she examined Atsumu’s face. In retrospect, it was a bad idea to engage him right now since he looked seconds away from exploding. “Gomen, I didn’t see where I’m going, but anyway it’s not like you care. Toodles!”

“Oi! I have not finished talking to you!”

Did she really just say that to him? Never mind, Reina was on a roll and she immediately dashed away to the library to type up the anonymous love letter request (but this time requesting Yuri to keep up a correspondence with Osamu). Facing Atsumu was pushed to the corner of her mind, just like how her decision to accept the manager position was. 

At that time, Reina failed to realize that she had just unintentionally started to gain the blonde setter’s attention. 

“Shibazeki, huh,” Atsumu said to himself. “If she becomes the manager, things _might_ just get a little more interesting, especially after what went down in the gym several days ago.”


	7. assist

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey guys, i hope you all enjoy this story. i know it is a little bit slow, but this fic is more of an oc character study and her dynamics as manager to a chaotic volleyball club. in this chapter reina finally accepts the manager position after angsting for several chapters. drop comments and kudos if you like it, thank you!

“Gomen, Yuri,” Reina said as she held the request letter and stared into the box slotted right in front of the lit club room. “I’m going to play a little bit of trickster to compensate for me stopping being a freelancer in your club.”

It was after school hours and the corridor was already deserted. Nobody would see Reina picking up the request letter that she herself wrote in the library and printed it out. It was right before lunch break was over Reina slipped in the request letter into the letterbox. And now when school hours just ended, Reina picked up the request letter again. Nobody would think that she was using the literature club’s love letter services. 

The student body who usually wanted to use the literature club’s love letter services would slip in their request paper with _another_ piece of paper containing personal information of the sender into the letterbox. Or if they already wrote their own love letter, just slipped in the letter and a paper on their personal information, hence only using the literature club’s services to deliver their personally written letter to the recipient.

To make it easier for potential clients to know what kind of their personal information should be given to the club in order to smooth over the transaction, there was a paper taped on the lit club’s door containing what personal info clients should give to the club. Some people chose not to give their names, rather just give their secret emails and phone number. There were others who did not have any reservations putting their names into the letterbox, but usually they were the ones who did not write their own love letters, having Yuri and her club ghostwrite it for them instead. 

Heaving a sigh, Reina slid open the club door and walked in. Whatever Yuri’s reaction would be like, she was more than prepared to face it. There were already two major friendship breakups in her wake, another one shouldn’t hurt. Or that was just Reina trying to convince herself. “We got another client here.”

Yuri, who was sitting on one of the desks, huddled on her laptop as usual, looked up. “Heh? I thought all requests were already picked up by Chiyo to be processed.”

“Hiya, Shibazeki-san,” Sawaizumi Chiyo, the first year student who was also the club’s secretary, greeted with a smile. Unlike Yuri who was sitting on a chair, Chiyo was sitting cross legged on the floor with a laptop on her lap. 

“No this is a new request that’s just in,” Reina exclaimed, hoping that her voice did not waver. Nobody would get hurt, since this request was anonymous and was rather _different_ than Yuri’s usual clients who wanted Yuri to ghostwrite love letters for them. The request would simply ask Yuri to keep up a pen pal relationship with Osamu anonymously. “And I think it’s big money so we should not screw it up. But this is up to your alley, so no worries on that part.” 

“If I have to ghostwrite another love letter for the friggin Miya Atsumu, I would actually combust,” Yuri said with a sigh as she banged her head against the desk. “Please, anyone but him. It is beyond my understanding how on Earth he still gets flooding requests even after rejecting lots of girls rather...rudely.” 

“Rude is one way to put it, ha. I’m sure somewhere in the gym he was having a snooze fest from the way we always talk about him in this club room,” Reina deadpanned as she took a seat right across Yuri. “l“It’s fine; I’ve got that one covered up, and this big client is not for him. He is overrated.”

And by the power of God he truly was. Sometimes Reina wondered if there was ever a fangirl mob formed in Inarizaki just for him. She shuddered at the idea. “Anyways, where is Yamada? Usually, she’s here with you and Sawaizumi-san.”

Yamada Eri was the lit club’s treasurer. Even though Yuri managed to only recruit four first years, only two of them (Yamada and Sawaizumi) were much of help to make sure the club did not close down. 

“She took off, there is an emergency in her home,” Yuri answered, still had her head on the table. “And Reina, what did I tell you about opening up requests?”

“Sorry, it is that sometimes I get nosy and…” Reina shrugged. “But really, I think you should check this request out and…I have something to tell you. I hope you’re not going to hate me for this.”

She sure as hell hoped Yuri would not combust from the pressure. Even though her friend always told her that it was fine if Reina ever decided to stop freelancing for the lit club, Reina could tell that the weight would be a lot heavier on Yuri’s shoulders.

“Shoot. I have a feeling that you’re going to quit freelancing for me, but do go on.”

From anyone else, the sentence would emanate passive-aggressive tone. From Yuri, she was simply letting Reina to continue. As much as Yuri was kind and patient, she was not without her flaws. She took way too much burden on her shoulders to fulfill her ideals about how the lit club should be, while not realizing it was also taking a toll on her wellbeing. 

Reina was not worried about Yuri being lonely when she would stop freelancing for the literature club. She was rather worried that Yuri would work herself to the edge of death to keep the lit club running. Hence, she decided to put in the anonymous request for Yuri to write letters to Osamu, to keep her occupied and gave her the chance to reconnect with him.

“You know that I’m out of our school's club business since the drama that happened in the brass band club, right?” 

“Either way, you’re out of that hellhole,” Yuri answered. “So, what are you going to say? And Rei, seriously don’t worry I’m not going to be mad. I know you got your side business of selling homework answers and essays going on too.”

That was what people would say before the realization dawned upon their conscious mind about what was going to happen. 

Yuri and Reina’s friendship started when they both just started high school. They had more than a year of getting to know each other and Yuri was already used to Reina’s subtly abrasive ways. Two misfit girls who weren’t keen to participate in their school’s rabid school spirit culture and bonded over their shared interests,, there was no faster way for a friendship to bloom.

Nothing was stronger than that to glue two lost souls together, especially in a journey as perilous as high school days. But at the same time, Reina had seen it for herself just how the tightest friendship could snap in one easy flick. 

“Here is what I’m about to tell you that might probably make you hate me,” Reina announced as she cleared her throat. She saw that Yuri narrowed her eyes, probably spotting the way Reina’s voice wavered a little bit, noticing the crack in her usual deadpan and nonchalant behavior. 

“Yeah, just shoot.”

“I got an offer to be the manager for the volleyball club,” Reina calmly replied. “I thought I should inform you before giving my answer.” 

The weight of Reina’s announcement took an immediate effect. Sawaizumi immediately scrambled up and walked towards Reina as she put her hands on Reina’s forehead. “Shibazeki-san, are you okay?”

Sawaizumi was a little bit of an oddball, which was the reason why she felt comfortable enough around Reina even though the latter was older than her. On the other hand, Yuri’s mouth fell agape as she immediately stood up, but not before adjusting her laptop to make sure it did not toppled off the desk.

“Rei-chan, are you sure…” Yuri’s voice laced with worry and Reina could see the spot between Yuri’s eyes scrunched. “You _know_ how you feel about volleyball. Are you sure you’re up for it?” 

Reina took a deep breath as she put both of her hands on the desk. Of course Yuri knew about the Shibazeki family tragedy. About her dead brother. Taka-nii was her father’s golden boy, who got the natural talent, height and good form to be a great volleyball athlete. And when he died, he took all the light and golden with him. 

“Don’t worry, Tsukikage-san got me, I won’t let her work herself to death,” Chiyo declared as she raised her fist to the air. 

“You seem keen on getting rid of me,” Reina said with a hint of smirk, but from the way she could see Yuri was narrowing her yes, she must’ve known it was a facade. “And Yuri…I already think about it. But I need to tell you before I have the chance to change my mind again. I... _need_ to face this. To face the very thing I’ve been running away from since…” 

They both knew what was left unsaid. 

“Only if you’re completely sure,” Yuri remarked, reaching out her hand on top of Reina’s. “Besides, I got way more allies to run this business with than you might think. I collaborated with Toudou Akira-kun, the president of the Manga Club. I’m _not_ going to compromise my health and wellbeing to be on top of everything. I know I got a lot on my plate, but don’t worry, I’ve been doing this even since before you freelance for me.”

“Toudou Akira?” Reina asked and her brain’s gears were moving to process the information. “What about Miya--” 

Yuri immediately put her hands to Reina’s mouth to stop the latter from taking it any further. There was a rather chilling smile carved on Yuri’s mouth, replacing her usual placid smile. “Not now, Reina.”

Reina could only smile discreetly, knowing that the anonymous request would open the chances of Yuri to recreate her story with Osamu again. She slowly removed Yuri’s hands from her mouth, barely managing to stop the edges of her mouth from quirking up. “Yes, we do have all the time in the world. Just…make sure you check this one out, okay?” Reina pushed forward the request into Yuri’s direction. Yuri stared at the envelope right in front of her before sighing and picked it up to put it in her blazer.

“Alright, I’ll check this out. And Reina, you don’t have to worry that I’ll overwork myself with the club okay? I’m barely keeping my shit together with peer tutoring, studying for upcoming midterms and I’m still here, not going anywhere and just keep grinding. You’re always going to have a place here if you feel like that being their manager won’t work out. Although I know you’re more than qualified to be one.”

Reina could only quirk a small smile. She really should be giving her friend more benefit of the doubt. “I know I’ll always have a place here if the volleyball manager gig doesn’t work out. By the way, aren’t you already late to go to your peer tutor meeting?”

It was currently Friday, one of the two times in the week when Yuri would have to juggle both her literature club responsibilities along with being a peer tutor. Yuri’s eyes immediately flicked to the wrist watch on her hand and her eyes bulged in surprise. “Jesus, I almost forgot. There’s still five minutes left before it starts, I have to go to the third year classroom now. See ya, Rei-chan, and good luck with your manager duties! Thank you for still asking me for approval even if you don’t have to. It means you value my opinion and...I really appreciate it.” 

Yuri squeezed Reina’s hands, causing the latter to raise her eyebrows in surprise. After flashing yet another smile, Yuri immediately stood up from her seat, packed her laptop into her school bag and dashed out of the room. Reina glanced at Sawaizumi, who was already engrossed in her laptop again.

Reina could not tell if she was organizing other information for the love letters or was taking notes of what just happened. “Chiyo, do you mind if I left you here alone?” 

“Never mind, Yuri-san already left me the keys to the club. Off you go to the gym, Shibazeki-senpai. From what I’ve seen when I came to the Inter High to watch them play...you’ve got to prepare yourself for the chaos.”

An oddball her kouhai may be, but Chiyo was never a liar. Reina gulped, trying to keep her nerves in check. She would have to drop by the gym today to inform them about her decision. 

This time, no one would be cornering her.

There would not be any problems aside from dealing with a circus, right?

***

Shit, Reina had forgotten just how chaotic practices could be. As she walked into the gym where the boys’ volleyball club were practicing, loud voices were heard and balls were flying everywhere. After not dealing with anything volleyball related for...the last five years, she could barely handle the sensory overload of making sure her head was safe from a ball coming into direction.

“Oh, SHIT, INCOMING!” 

From her reflexes, Reina put her palm in front of her forehead, barely managing to fend off the incoming volleyball that was hurling in her direction at an alarming speed. Even as she could hear the thud as the ball fell to the gym floor, Reina still could barely move to process what had just happened. 

That was the moment the pain kicked in, causing her to bite her lip.

She winced and closed her eyes, trying to tone down the pain that started to spread across her palms. She could feel someone’s hands on both of her shoulders.

“Shibazeki-san, are you alright?” 

Ojiro-kun’s familiar voice pulled Reina out of her anxiety induced frozen state. Slowly, she opened her eyes to be met with the third year ace who frowned and scrunched his eyebrows in worry.

Reina could not help but to smile kindly at him. There were people who brought out the best in everyone, and Aran-kun was that type of person. “I’m fine, just that my palm stings real bad.”

“Yeah, you basically stopped Atsumu’s serve that went out of bounds,” Ojiro-kun said, patting her back. “Great job, Shibazeki-san.”

“Are you seriously praising her for managing not to get spiked in the head?” Blondie’s grating voice forced Reina to look at his incoming figure.

Before Reina could open her mouth to give a retort, her eyes darted to another figure who stood just several steps behind Ojiro-kun. The tall, willowy and slender figure that was so familiar to Reina’s eyes.

Mai. 

“What are you doing here?” Reina blurted out the question before she could think over the consequences of saying such words. 

From the corner of her eyes she saw Suna was walking over to their direction and there was a phone on his hand. Even though Suna was one of her regular clients, that little shit would not pass up a chance to see a hot tea spilled. 

Well, if bendy boy thought he was going to get some scoop, he thought wrong. Reina closed eyes momentarily to regroup before opening them again, this time flashing Mai a smile that hopefully did not resemble a cringe.

“Did the two of you know each other?” Atsumu asked, already picking up the ball from the floor as he wiped his forehead using the back of his hand. “So, what makes you decide to get off your high horses and be our club’s manager?”

“You really just have no idea how to shut your trap, don’t you?” Ojiro-kun groaned. He looked at Reina with an apologetic look on his face. “I’m sorry, but if you’re here to accept the manager position, Shibazeki-san, you’re going to have to get used to him.”

“Oh, it’s fine,” Reina answered, this time she could summon much of her rather rusty skills to give a good comeback. “I’m rather used to dealing with a clown, Ojiro-san.”

Atsumu grumbled, but thankfully as Reina just raised her eyebrows at him, silently beckoning him to say another word, he decided to walk away while dragging Suna along with him. 

Mai was still standing right behind Aran, as if she was hiding herself behind him. Reina did not know what to make of it, so she decided to ignore her former friend’s presence. Although it was not exactly easy to ignore a rising teen model who was surrounded with sweaty teenage boys. 

But if her former best friend could pretend she did not exist for almost three months straight, then Reina could certainly play the same game. After they stared into each other’s eyes for several more seconds, Mai decided to turn away, not forgetting to flip her hair. 

Reina almost wanted to laugh, even after all these years Mai was still good at playing the drama queen card. 

“Where’s Tweedledee? Usually he comes in the same package with blondie,” Reina asked, her head darting around to look for Osamu. “And yes, Ojiro-san, I...have decided to accept your proposition as manager. I...have certain experiences with volleyball, not as a player, but as an assistant.”

“Tweedledee? Did you mean Osamu?” Ojiro asked as if Reina just said a foreign language. “He’s off practice every Friday, since he had to attend the peer tutor program to make sure his grades don’t slip. But anyways, I’m so glad you decide to be our manager, Shibazeki-san. It will be a great pleasure to have you here with us.”

She certainly did not miss that Osamu was in the peer tutor program where Yuri was participating as a student-tutor. Reina almost could not resist a smile breaking out on her face, but she stomped the urge down. Giving her senpai a nod, she bowed at him. “Onegaishimasu, Ojiro-senpai.”

“Geez, you don’t have to call me senpai,” Ojiro-kun replied sheepishly, his hand scratched the back of his head. But there was a happy glint on his eyes, as if it was the first time he dealt with a rather reasonable kouhai.

But then again, the second years in the club consisted of a rather chaotic bunch of humans.

“Ah, you’re back here Shibazeki-san,” the calm and serene voice caught Reina’s attention. 

Kita Shinsuke, the volleyball club’s captain, graced her with his rather...godly presence. He was definitely far from the flashy type which Atsumu was, but his presence still commands attention. 

“Ano…” Reina could not help but to bow at him. “I’m sorry for causing you the commotion the last time I’m here.”

“Not your fault, but since you’re here, I can assume that you already make a decision and it is not made out of haste.”

Reina shook her head. “No, I already think over everything and make up my mind. I can promise you that I will...give my best to be the manager and to make sure everyone stays hydrated and a myriad of other job descriptions for a sports manager.”

Anyways, there was nobody who knew better than her about how mental health aligned so intricately with an athlete’s physical health. She may not exactly be the best manager in terms of her track record: 1) a failed gig with the brass band club and 2) would rather focus on her studies and squeeze money off the other students who couldn't care less about academics. Not to mention one of her about to be regular clients was also part of the regular string of the volleyball club, who could’ve exposed her side business right then and there.

But Reina already promised to both her grandfather and herself to give an effort to at least try reaching the light, to stop letting the shadows of her brother’s death grab her by the ankle and pull her down into the abyss of grief. 

“You can start today, but we haven’t got the uniform for the manager position. I can talk to our coach about that later. That’s fine by you?”

“Definitely.” Reina vigorously nodded. “I will do my best this time.”

Hopefully this time she won’t be a coward who ran away from her problems. At least this time, Reina had zero expectations from the volleyball club to be the found family that she could not find in the brass band club, or her family for that matter. 


	8. blinding

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> a/n: uh sorry for the late update from my usually weekly schedule (yes i try to update this fic weekly and it seems to work well). did i just finish this chapter while ignoring that i still have a shitload of deadline to catch up on, yes. did i regret it? no. if u guys enjoy it, just leave a kudos or comment to let me know :)
> 
> p.s. i am setting the pairing into motion in this chapter sjsjsj 
> 
> And u can reach me in my tumblr cityscapingly or my twitter @swooningfangirl

“Hey, you doing good?” 

Mai crouched herself to the corner, her eyes trained to the practice match occurring right before her eyes. It was still lost on her how on Earth these people could exert their energy non stop without dropping dead to the gym floor.

It was again Atsumu’s turn to serve the ball. The way he just jumped with such power as he hit the ball, to the point Mai could see that it actually cut through the air. How could she ever capture such energy for her upcoming photoshoot when she herself could barely complete one lap of jogging without fainting. 

Looking up, she saw Aran who walked over and plopped down to sit right beside her. 

“I’m good,” Mai answered, this time she shifted her gaze towards Reina. Her former best friend was seated on the bench right beside Coach Kurosu. Her eyes darted from watching the court to scribbling down notes on her thick Kokuyo notebook. Mai guessed that the mechanical pencil that Reina used would either be Pentel or Pilot brand. “I...feel bad that there’s nothing I can do much aside from watching the practice to get inspiration for my upcoming photoshoot with the volleyball magazine.”

“You don’t cause any chaos or disruption, that alone is already helpful.” Aran answered with such fervor and sincerity that somehow, he managed to pull out a laugh from Mai. “What, did I say something funny?”

“I’m sure you already heard enough from the twins and the whole team that you _can_ make a career in Manzai comedy as the Tsukomi,” Mai retorted, this time she did not even cover her mouth as she usually did when letting out a laugh. “But volleyball does wonders for you too.”

“I have to admit, I feel like I have to document this moment.”

“What moment?”

“When you laughed. Well, since it is so rare to see you even express yourself.”

Mai froze, waiting for the usual pickup line that followed right after. She was more than used to it, boys who waxed lyrical at her in order to get her to open up her cold dead heart. Boys who claimed they were trying to fix her while their intention was anything but. They just wanted to be another puppeteer who tried to fix the broken doll, claiming their right to have her just because they thought they had fixed her. 

They only wanted love if it’s torture and she sure as hell put up fortresses and walls for them to suffer through, which made them wanted it all even more. 

They just reminded her of how much of a broken doll she was, which made it all easier for Mai to hold on to her cold dead heart, determined to never give it away to anyone.

But there was no trace of perfectly patched up lines of lies in Aran’s voice. Her mind may not be as sharp as Reina’s, but it was sharpened enough from experience to detect even an ounce of insincerity. And she did not find it at all in him. He simply said he wanted to capture the moment she laughed because he meant it. 

Mai was not used to it. To boys who gave away truths easily like they were free and without having to pry it out of them. 

“Gomen, that sounded cheesy,” Aran-kun said with a laugh and all Mai could think was how he was wrong. “To be fair, most people I’ve met are super expressive with their feelings, mainly the twins. Well except Kita, you know how he is.”

 _She_ was the one who wanted to bottle in his laughter. Although Mai was not sure she could stay sober with her clarity of mind stayed intact if she would be drinking that bottle. 

“What is your story with Shibazeki?”

The question was so sudden that Mai almost flinched out of surprise. She hugged her knees tighter, but forced herself not to look away. 

“Eh, I’m just asking, it is up to you if you want to tell me the story or not,” Aran added as he scratched the back of his head. “But anyone can see that she means a lot to you.”

The match ended with Atsumu’s team winning, but it was Suna who managed to score the winning point with him blocking Omimi’s spike. Both Mai and Aran watched Reina who immediately scrambled up from the bench to pick up water bottles for the boys. 

“I told you, she’s good with this,” Mai said, her eyes still following Reina who just dashed out of the gym to probably fill up the water bottles. “I can never run that fast without fainting. Well, I am working up on my stamina, but it is not easy to build up what one had lost.

“As of my story with Reina…it is probably full of the pettiness of female friendship that you’re not used to.”

Aran just blinked, affirming Mai’s assumption that he would not understand. But she did not expect him to, so she let out a smile. “It’s fine, Ojiro-san, but let me tell you. It is a long story. And it is a hundred percent my fault that there is a huge rift between us. I take full blame for that.”

“Wow.”

“What?” Mai asked, raising her perfectly plucked eyebrow. 

“I rarely hear someone take full blame for something without offering even an ounce of excuse.” 

“Ojiro-san, you probably spend way too much time with the twins,” Mai retorted with a smile. She loosened her grip on her knees and let her legs slid down to the floor. “But I am way past the denial phase.”

“Denying that you’re the one at fault?”

“Yeah, denying that I am the one who is responsible for anything that is happening to me,” Mai answered and she could barely contain the surprise for the lack of malice and bitterness in her as she said it. “I almost died, you know.”

She found herself spilling out the bottled feelings and stories that she had yet to share with anyone but her talent manager, Touka. It was just so _easy_ to be honest with him. He did not need to be anything other than himself to coax the truth out of her and somehow, it planted seeds of doubts and fear in her heart. Alongside the warmth that started to spread across her whole being. 

This time, she was met with surprise on his face. Rounded eyes, jaw almost dropping to the floor, but at least there was no pitying gaze. Not yet at least. 

“Reina saved my life, by calling up the ambulance and did chest pumps and CPR to keep my heart beating before the paramedics showed up,” Mai continued, her gaze trained forward and not once did she look at Aran-kun. She could not bear it to see his eyes. “I was fourteen when my heart stopped, all because I don’t want to eat. I’m tired of listening to the terms, but if you are curious, yes I suffered from ED. Eating Disorder. Well, anorexia nervosa if you wanted to be specific. I still am, I guess, since it’s almost two years since I've been on treatment. I used to blame Reina for calling out for help, making me have to face the fact that I am well on my way into self destructing myself. I have to go to a rehab facility for several months. These days I am still on treatment and recovery is as difficult as one might think it is to rid yourself of a bad habit. A life threatening habit you cultivate just because you think you’re not pretty enough for the world.

“You don’t have to say anything, Ojiro-san,” her voice was a little bit shaky, but she chose to go on. She needed to be honest to at least someone other than herself, just to make it real. “I just feel comfortable enough to share it with you. I blamed Reina for saving my life because she makes me face the truth. I said _many_ cruel things at her just because back then it was easier to blame her than it is to blame myself. Only after I’ve reflected on myself just how _stupid_ I was. Well, I still am stupid, if you ask me. She _always_ makes everyone around her face the ugly truths nobody wants to see, but only now did I see that is just part of her being. It is selfish of me to not understand why she was so desperate to keep me alive, but I don’t have the right to tell you that story. It belongs to her.”

“Ichijou-san…” 

Of course he was at loss for words. Nobody would think that the pretty girl would have enough substance in her head for it to invite grotesque demons. 

Mai braced herself for a pitying gaze or anything that resembled disgust on his face. She froze when she felt his arms circled her shoulders, pulling her closer to his side. 

“You’re stronger than you think, Ichijou-san,” he responded. He spoke like it was a matter of fact, pure and simple. No sugarcoating, no patched up perfect lies to coax her to curl open her cold hands and gave him her heart. “I’m glad that you didn't die that day. I’m glad that Shibazeki-san saved you. Thank you for trusting me enough to share it with me.” 

He squeezed her shoulders in his embrace and Mai swore she could hear the cracks of her heart. Her heart was cracking because she knew that someone this kind and golden, who shone like daylight, deserved better than her. His light was too bright and blinding and her world was so dark and bleak. 

She did not know if she would ever adjust to the light, but she would rather die than to let the darkness seize her soul again. Not when Mai already knew the light at the end of the dark tunnel. 

Just this once, Mai let her head lean sideways, putting her head on his shoulders. A smile curved her mouth and she could not help it. Nobody told her that volleyball players would have sturdy shoulders, so comfortable.

_Click!_

The sound of a camera shutter forced Mai to open her eyes. Her heart started to beat faster to the point she felt it almost lurch down to her gut. Her ears were trained for this, to hear someone taking pictures of her without her consent. But as she saw it was just Suna with a phone on his hand, Mai schooled her expression to a neutral face.

“Oh am I interrupting a moment?” he asked in his usual bored tone, but Mai could see the barest of interest in his eyes. 

“Suna, I swear haven’t I told you not to interrupt if they’re talking!?” Suddenly Akagi showed up and he bowed at both Mai and Aran-kun as he dragged Suna away. Both Mai and Aran just stared at the libero. “Gomen, you both can...do whatever you two wanted.”

With that, they left and somehow there was a gaping hole of silence that just begged to be filled. 

“The moment is gone,” Aran said flatly, to which Mai nodded. 

“Yep, the fact he just said it like that just punched a nail to the coffin.” 

“Wait, what moment again?” 

They both stared into each other before bursting into laughter together. It had been so long since Mai let out that kind of laugh, an honest and full blown kind of laugh that made her stomach hurt. She did not recall ever displaying so much emotions all at once.

“You really should laugh more, Ichijou-san,” Aran-kun said after their laughter subsided. “It doesn’t hurt to express yourself once in a while. Although, one must say that anything that goes overboard can be overwhelming.”

He frowned, probably thinking of the weird antics that the twins had pulled on him during the many years they had known each other, and his frown broke into a smile. 

And there it was, the warmth had successfully spread across all of Mai’s being that she honestly had no idea what to do with it.

***

Even though she had agreed to be the manager, it did not mean Reina was used to interacting with a bunch of teenage boys in a close vicinity. 

All she did today was running back and forth to fill up the empty water bottles, taking notes of the practice game, and trying to shrink herself from the lingering gazes the boys spared her. The last part was actually just Suna who was stealing glances at her, probably thinking why his dealer for his homework decided to agree to be the manager. It was a conversation that was bound to happen sooner or later. 

Oh, and of course, Tweedledum (or Miya Atsumu) did not even try to hide the fact he was scrutinizing her with his eyes. 

Reina hugged her knees even tighter as she sat right beside the coach, who was giving a final brief before practice was truly over. 

“Everyone, I think you might already know that today we got ourselves a manager for the club,” Coach Kurosu introduced Reina to the whole team. “Shibazeki-san, do introduce yourself if you'd like to.”

Well it's not like she had a choice but to comply. 

Reina probably looked so constipated that she did not even have to look in the mirror to know it. She did feel her face contorted into a grimace, but it would be impolite to refuse. And she was not _that_ dramatic to pretend to faint just to run away. 

It would just add more problems to her plate. She could not help but to check her watch, wanting to go home and listen to Taylor Swift's newest album Red while doing her homework. 

“Hi…” Reina slowly began, she forced her eyes to look at her audience that consisted of sweaty teenage boys who were more than ready to rest after a long practice. “I have got nothing to say aside from, thank you for having me, even if the circumstances surrounding my recruitment is a little bit… dubious at best. But I can promise you that I am going to do my best as a manager. I would like to list down my experiences with volleyball, not as a player though, but that would take more time and I'm sure everyone wants to go home so…thank you.” She ended her introduction with a bow and quickly sat down again. 

“Well that was quick,” Suna piped up, but Reina only gave him a look and he just looked away again. 

“She’s right, you guys must be tired from practice. What I can say from today’s practice is that keep up the good work, but don’t try to pull weird stunts you guys find interesting right on the bat.” Coach Kurosu said as he pointedly looked at Atsumu, who had the audacity to whistle and averted his gaze. “Anyways, I know there are some rambunctious and rowdy bunch, especially the second year batch. Just don’t make it any harder for her to be our manager, and good job for today, Shibazeki-san.”

“Alright, coach!” 

“Okay, you guys can go home. Practice is dismissed!”

The only time Reina saw this much of chaos was during the flag ceremony when the teachers dismissed the whole student body. Her head could barely process the sudden swarm of teenage boys who suddenly lined up in front of her. 

“So you’re the new manager,” Miya Atsumu said as he crouched right in front of Reina. His eyes bore holes right into hers and Reina felt an urge to shove his face. This guy really did not know the concept of personal space. “Shibazeki-chan, I heard you’re really good at studies. Care enough to do my homework for free?” 

It was his audacity that caused the corner of her eyes to twitch. 

“That is free labor, I’m sure that’s illegal,” Reina answered as she stood up and brushed off her skirt. Coach said that her manager uniform would be ready by next Monday and since today was Friday, at least Reina did not have to endure another session of running around without comfortable sweatpants and sweater. “Just study properly or join your brother in the peer tutoring program.”

“You’re crazy if you think she’s going to do it for free, Atsumu,” Suna muttered, not once looking up from his phone. 

Reina gulped and she certainly could _feel_ the holes boring the back of her head from Kita’s direction. If Suna was dumb enough to expose her right here, she would certainly drag him down to the mud with her. Heaving a sigh, she stretched her arms upward. From the corner of her eyes she saw Kita-san finally relented and went to the locker room. “Damn, I forget just how physically taxing it is to be in a club.”

“What club you used to be in, Shibazeki-san?” 

The question was from Akagi-kun, the club’s regular libero. Reina opened her eyes and saw that he was waiting for her answer. Why were these boys still here hounding her with questions instead of going home? If memory of being a water girl for her older brother’s old club in the USA served her correctly, they should’ve just waved her off like she was the help. 

“Uh…” Reina trailed off as she tucked her hair to the back of her ears. “The band club. You know which one.” 

“Holy shit,” Akagi-kun answered and slapped the back of the other regular third year, Omimi-kun, to the point that the latter coughed. “Wow, we are so sorry for you to go through…” his eyes darted to Atsumu, who was walking towards the exit door. 

It was either instinct or he just got sensitive ears, Atsumu turned his head towards them and raised his eyebrows challengingly and loudly asked. “What?”

“Nothing, your hair just reminds me of shit,” Reina muttered, but looking up she saw her senpais were already laughing and Akagi-kun started to slap her back. 

“Wow, Shibazeki-san, I’d like to say that Aran really found a goldmine when he offered you to be the manager,” Akagi-kun exclaimed with a chuckle. “At first there are a lot of girls who try to apply as managers in the beginning of each year, but it gets even crazier since the twins entered high school. But almost none of them could bear with the workload and left after the third day.”

“Well, they are here to eat the eye candy instead of doing actual work,” Omimi-kun said. “It is a conflict of interest if you asked me.”

He was a quiet guy, and Reina could see that he did not speak unless he thought it was important to say. Three days though, but at least there were no pack of fangirls camping out in front of the gym right now. It would make it harder for Reina to go off radar in school.

“Ah…” Reina honestly did not know what to say. Except from maybe assuring them that she won’t bail or screw up? Okay, the chances she would bail definitely existed, but for different reasons than they might think. “I hope it assures you all that I really don’t care about school spirit. Or jock worship. And hey, eating eye candy is good as long as you still complete your work.”

Yep, she was _not_ going to pull the ‘I’m different from other girls’ card. Somehow Reina felt compelled to defend half of the female student body who were fawning over the Miya brothers. She _did_ help Yuri-chan to write love letters in their names and got paid for it. Maybe along the way Reina stopped seeing them as a money fountain but rather as real lovesick teenage girls who deserved to get their voices heard. 

Akagi-senpai patted her shoulder again with an encouraging smile. “Welcome to the club, Shibazeki-san. If you need anything, you can ask us, the third years, for help.”

He waved at her and left, followed with Omimi-kun who bowed at her. 

“Aren't you going to go home? It is almost dark.”

Kita-san's calm voice startled Reina, who was already picking up her school bag from the gym floor. Turning her back to see him, she could see that he already showered. Seeing him made her feel freshened already and Reina could not explain how on Earth he could pull it off.

“I am waiting for my friend,” Reina answered. It was true since Yuri and Reina had promised to go home together. And Yuri wanted to give Reina the moral support after her first day of her stint as manager. “I...uh...Kita-san…”

“Yes?”

“Our grandparents are in the same community for the elderly people in our neighborhood. Several days ago your grandmother visited my house to talk to my grandma…” Reina started to feel sheepish for even saying that. But she really had no idea how to talk to the captain without making a fool of herself. And yet she felt like she needed to say it. “I...just want to say that she seems a very nice person, you’re lucky to have her.”

She did not expect it to be _that_ radiant, but seeing the usually stoic captain’s face broke into a kind smile, Reina could not help but to feel a little (okay, a lot) at ease. Maybe her grandpa Aaron was right, being a volleyball club manager would help her to slowly gain the closure she needed.

“Thanks, Shibazeki-san. If you don’t mind, you can visit my house sometimes, it will be a good way to get to know each other especially since you’re the manager now.”

“Uh...yes, thank you for the offer.” She gave him the salute gesture before dashed out of the gym. At least that was not totally horrible for her first day as manager...right?

Well hopefully so. 

“Rei-chan!” Yuri’s familiar voice served as the comfortable cushion that Reina needed after being out of her depth for the last few hours. Walking out of the gym, Reina saw Yuri who was positively grinning. As Reina darted her gaze to the person beside her, well it was easy to explain why.

“Ah...so you’re Tweedledee,” Reina blurted out and she immediately wanted to kick herself. Compared to his twin brother, Osamu seemed calmer and subdued, but she had seen it with herself that if they were paired together it quite literally spelled disaster for everyone. 

But then again, it was rather obvious that Atsumu may have brought out the best of the spikers on his team as a setter, but he brought out the worst of every general human being as a person. 

“So you have to deal with him asking for free labor to do his homework,” Osamu said as he extended his hand. “I’m his brother, Miya Osamu, the better twin.”

Osamu extended out his hand for a handshake and Reina clasped it. “I think you already know who I am given the…” Reina let the words hang, refusing to say another word about the chaos when she was cornered to make a decision on the spot. “Yeah, I am Shibazeki Reina, at your service.”

“So…” Reina slowly said as she released her hands and took a good look at both of them. “How did you guys get here together?”

Yes her curiosity was piqued and no, Reina was not ashamed to ask that. And it was not like Osamu was that sharp to see what she was doing (read: digging into Yuri’s love life). 

“Oh...Tsukikage is my tutor to help me get through math,” Osamu said math with a wrinkle on his nose and Reina almost wanted to laugh. “When we’re done, she said she’s going to head for the gym to pick up her friend who is the new manager for the club, who is obviously you.”

“I see.” Reina had to stomp down the urge of wiggling her eyebrows. Or asking Yuri about the request letter. It would make things way too obvious. Tweedledee certainly made it obvious that he did not remember Yuri from their brief stint as hospital roommates years ago. 

At least it showed Reina that she did the right thing by trying to play up the matchmaker card a little. Just to open up Yuri’s chances. 

“Rei, not now,” Yuri said low enough so it was not caught in Osamu’s earshot. “Anyways...Miya-san.”

“You can call me Osamu, wouldn’t want both me and my brother to turn up our heads when you called us, right?” 

From the way she bit her lips, Yuri seemed to have something more to say about the matter, but she gave into resignation as she nodded “Fine, Osamu...you sure that tomorrow will be alright if I come over to your house for a study session?”

Reina started to feel like a third wheel and suddenly she felt someone pulled her wrist and dragged her away. Turning her head to protest, she saw it was the blond setter. Her mouth already fell open to give him a piece of her mind, but Atsumu beat her into it.

“Can’t you see that they’re having a moment and you’re interrupting it?” Atsumu asked with raised eyebrows. “I pegged you as someone smarter than that, Rei-chan.”

“You don’t seem the type to care about interrupting someone’s moment and we’re not even that close for you to call me with my given name.”

“Well, if I can make fun of Osamu then yes I would let it happen.”

Reina rolled her eyes. She would not expect anything less than the person who managed to cause a huge riot in the band club, effectively causing it to be divided right into two opposing factions. “You're a piece of work, but I'm sure you know that already. Fine, I’m gonna head home.”

They were not close enough for her to say goodbye or gave him any greeting, so she left. 

“Aren’t you supposed to be a goodie two shoes who knows that you should at least say goodbye?”

Turning her back, Reina saw that Atsumu already crossed his arms against his chest. He reminded her of a petulant little boy whose mother won't buy him a new toy. “Well, goodbye then. Stay safe, if that’s what you’d like to hear.”

“Now that’s better.”

Reina rolled her eyes again and it earned her a chuckle from him. She would need some time to get used to his antics, but Reina had a feeling she could find some alliance among the other club members to make sure Atsumu was kept in his place. 

Hoisting up her school bag, Reina walked away from the scene and decided to wait for Yuri in the school gates. Reina hummed as she took several steps until a very familiar voice called out her name, making her stop dead on her tracks.

“Reina.” 

Her voice was still throaty and raspy, must’ve been from her excessive smoking. Or maybe Mai had already stopped smoking to destress, but what Mai had been up to for the last few years already stopped being Reina’s business.

Reina only stared at her former best friend, the beautiful mess that was Ichijou Mai. She had nothing left to say to Mai, not after the way Mai had slashed their friendship so easily. Several more seconds passed as she waited for Mai to break the silence. In the end, Mai just strode away. As if she was not the one who stopped Reina.

Heaving a sigh, Reina looked up to the skies. Orange tints colored over the horizon, reminding Reina of her mother’s painting the skies of Nagano. 

“Some things just never changed,” she muttered, not realizing that the universe was already working its magic and setting everything into motion.


	9. invade

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> a/n: i manage to finish this chapter before my finals starts on january 14th. this chapter will detail reina's interaction with the second years, with whom she still got queasy dynamics with. if you guys enjoy this fic, feel free to leave a kudos or comment, they are very highly appreciated!
> 
> P. S. Yes.. i do take some inspo from reina kousaka (one of the mc from sound euphonium) for reina shibazeki, along with the instrument she plays in the band club.

“So, who is Sachirou?” Yuri asked, her eyes unabashedly peeking to the corner of her friend’s notebook. “You never tell me that you’re close with someone, let alone  _ a boy _ .”

Reina could barely register Yuri’s question before another interruption to her supposedly peaceful lunchtime disrupted her routine again. 

“Uh, Shibazeki-san,” the voice that started to get familiar to her ears seemed to turn on the alert mode in her head. It was Ginjima Hitoshi, one of the wing spikers for the volleyball club. Out of all the second years, he was easily the most approachable, along with Kosaku Yuto. “Do you mind if I sit at your table?” 

Reina, who was scribbling notes on her new Kokuyo notebook, stopped writing suddenly that her mechanical pencil lead broke. Leaning her back, Reina watched the cafeteria’s ceilings as she contemplated whether it was the right decision to join Yuri’s club to eat on their table. But then again, hanging around in class every single day during lunch breaks just proved how pathetic her high school life was since Reina exited her old club.

“What?” Reina blurted out, genuinely surprised. “Are you...being serious?” 

It was not often that someone voluntarily approached her and Yuri’s table. Not to mention the other kouhais from the lit club were watching this exchange with glaring interest in their eyes. The prize went to Sawaizumi Chiyo, who looked like she was ready to ask intrusive questions. 

“Sorry, it is just rare to see someone, let alone from the sports club, approaching our table.” Reina tucked her wavy hair to the back of her ears and adjusted her glasses that were slipping down the bridge of her nose. 

“Yeah, we basically choose the corner of the cafeteria to keep up the invisibility,” Yuri added with a smile. If she wanted to make Ginjima more comfortable, it was working, the latter’s shoulders lost its tension as he heaved a sigh. 

“Uh…” Ginjima scratched the back of his head, looking sheepish. “Well, okay I have a  _ little  _ bit of ulterior motives. I heard the twins, well Atsumu to be precise, yammering about your wasted potential as a manager. We can’t exactly ask the senpais to spare their time to help us study and I’m being real with you here, we the second years of the club are...not exactly having it easy with academics. You’re the top of our class and uh, I need some help? With math, to be precise. I’m sorry for the inconvenience.” 

“Not even surprised that it was blondie who yammered about this,” Reina muttered low enough so that Gin would not hear her. 

It had been a week since she started to be the manager for the boys’ volleyball club. She had yet to particularly form a close attachment to anyone, but they were an inclusive bunch. Well, at least her third year senpais tried to include her during lunch breaks,, but Reina always refused.

“You can eat with us on our table during lunch breaks, Shibazeki-san,” Ojiro-senpai had said during the third day of Reina’s stint as a manager. She was busy loading carts full of volleyballs, but for her gracious senpai, Reina was more than ready to give him her time of the day. 

“Uh…but I don’t really talk to anyone,” Reina answered honestly. There was always an urge to be honest with Ojiro-senpai, not because he was intimidating (that role was reserved for Kita-senpai). “I’m not good with strangers.”

She had no idea what stopped him from prying in, but Ojiro-senpai knew how to respect boundaries. Maybe there was the apprehension written all over her face and meeting new people meant that there would be questions. People would ask about her family and why she had sharp eyes and experience being the manager. Questions that she was nowhere near ready to answer. 

He nodded as he patted her shoulders. “Just know that our table is always welcome for you whenever you feel like it.” 

_ Well, since one of your first string regulars is a regular client of mine, it would be awkward to pretend that I never talked to Suna before.  _

She still had no idea how to go to the cafeteria during lunch breaks and slid to their table oh so casually. Not to mention the stink eye she would be getting from the band club members. Although Reina could not blame them for holding a grudge towards her. 

The second years were a whole different story. Well, it was not like they shunned her out. Osamu definitely was easy to talk to and they had Yuri as common ground. The problem was on Reina herself, who had a hard time to open up beyond what she thought was necessary. 

At least she had made sure to make herself uninteresting enough so they would not pry into her past. Or even try to google her name. 

And now Ginjima was the one who approached  _ her  _ territory first. Reina could not help but to feel that she was a coward and respect towards him. While a week was still too recent for her to develop any real camaraderie with the boys, it was not like Reina put in any effort to develop their relationship beyond fellow club members. 

But since it was Ginjima who asked instead of Suna, Reina admitted that she did not feel the urge to turn him down. He had the courage to ask her for help, not asking for her homework answer directly without shame or whatsoever. Although, she’d rather be careful. As nice and friendly Gin was as a fellow second year, he was still part of the chaotic second year squad. 

“Well, you can ask Yuri here,” Reina answered, gesturing towards her friend, whose eyes rounded from surprise. Yuri probably did not expect that Reina would throw her under the bus like that. “I...am not exactly patient with teaching, she’s definitely better. Yuri placed third on our year’s class rank, and she’s a peer tutor for one of your wing spikers, she’s more than qualified.”

“That’s fine, I’ll try my best not to make you lose patience,” he answered so vigorously that it almost brought a smile to Reina’s face. Almost. “Do you mind if the rest of the guys join me at your table?” 

Now this was most definitely stretching it. Reina was well trained in not letting emotions spilled to her face, but even the best liars had their own tell. She could feel the corner of her eye twitched. Not to mention her stomach already churned, threatening to throw out the lunch that she had just recently eaten. 

A hand placed on top of hers and Reina’s eyes met with Yuri. With one glance Yuri managed to convey a myriad of messages. 

_ It’s fine, this is a start for you to form an attachment to them, you don’t have to run away from it. I’m here for you if you’re scared.  _

Looking into Yuri’s face, her friend wore an encouraging smile that never failed to calm down the storm that started to rage within Reina’s soul. Flicking her gaze towards Ginjima, who was already wearing his puppy eyes, Reina could only heave a sigh.

“I’m going to help with your studies,” Reina announced a little bit loudly, but with the chatters and bustle of the rowdy student body in the cafeteria, it was hard to get her voice heard. “Just...One thing I need to ask of you.”

“What is it?”

Of course his ears had to perk up like that and Reina could not help but to find herself caving in. It must’ve been either Atsumu’s or Suna’s idea to send Gin here. Osamu was not an option. He already had help from Yuri and probably he was not that gracious to share his notes with his twin brother, who was the  _ real  _ mastermind that caused this whole commotion.

Either way, it was Suna or Atsumu. Suna knew that Reina already closed her side business for a week ever since she decided to be the club’s manager. Atsumu...well just because Reina could imagine him thriving in the chaos. 

“I’m not doing this for free.”

“Wow, Suna is not joking when he says that you’re an opportunistic person.”

A wave of irritation washed over her and from the corner of her eyes, she could see that Yuri’s kouhais were eagerly waiting for a showdown to happen. But since it was Ginjima, Reina found it easier to hold onto her thinning patience just a little bit more. “Well, let’s put it this way, if you and the rest don’t give me a hard time, I’ll do it for free. Let’s just say this can be a bonding experience or whatsoever.”

She really was that petty to use air quotes gestures when she said bonding experience. However, Ginjima seemed not to notice as a huge beam made its appearance on his face. “Ah...thank you, Shibazeki-san! And Osamu is also  _ your  _ wing spiker, since you’re also part of the club.”

Well, it was the first time indeed that she was reminded of her membership of the boys’ volleyball club and Reina did not know what to make of it. Afterwards Ginjima turned his head and waved. Reina could only watch in horror when the second year batch of the club just suddenly emerged from the other end of the cafeteria. 

“If there is a fangirl mob tailing the twins, I’m really getting out of here and the deal is off.”

“Shibazeki-senpai, you sure that letting them eat on our table is a good idea?” Yamada Eri, the short haired treasurer for Yuri’s club, inquired. From the way she shifted uncomfortably on her seat, it seemed Reina was not alone in feeling apprehensive. 

“What choice do I have,” Reina muttered as she sighed in resignation and looked down to her unfinished food. 

Looking up, the other three second years from the boys’ volleyball club were already taking their seats on the empty spots on Yuri’s table. 

Judging from Yuri’s face that already reddened, it was easy to guess who took a seat right across hers. 

“Ah, thank you for welcoming us here, Shibazeki-san. You’re not an easy person to spot among the crowd,” Osamu exclaimed as he picked up one of Reina’s yakiniku from her tupperware. “Hm, yummy.”

“Well, hopefully we’re not interrupting some nerd convention or something like that.” Of course Atsumu had the gall to wear a sneer as he slid down to the empty seat beside Reina’s. 

Reina could feel the corner of her eye twitched as she wore a smile that somehow pulled the corners of her mouth tightly. 

As much as she knew that she had to step out of the shadows casted over her life by her brother’s death, it did not make it any easier for Reina to suddenly just let a leash of foxes into her life. By mild coercion, no less. 

“Well, I can assume that you’re the one who is behind this,” turning her head to the middle blocker, Reina flashed him with the smile that she was positively sure causing her to look like the weird clown from the anime Makoto always watching. 

At least Suna had the audacity to put away his phone as he slid to his seat, not saying another word. Taking in the sudden addition of four boys to her table, Reina could only hope that all hell would not break loose. 

She still had the fangirl mob and the grudge keeping members of her former club to worry about after all. 

***

Surprisingly, everyone ate in silence. Reina quietly munched her bento (which her grandmother made) as she took in her surroundings, or at least the sudden invasion on her lunch table.

Suna was scrolling through his phone, but Reina could see the gears working beneath his cool exterior. Meanwhile, Ginjima and Chiyo already got on so well that nobody would have thought that they just met. Not that Reina was surprised. Her kouhai may be a little bit of an oddball, but her lack of apprehension in approaching almost anything somehow manifested into her own brand of charm. 

Eri, on the other hand, just stayed put in her shell, not once acknowledging that there were strangers on her territory. 

“You should talk to Osamu,” Reina whispered to Yuri’s ears, her eyes watching the gray haired brother who was  _ still  _ eating his lunch. “This is your chance.”

“Rei-chan, I have zero grounds to work on if I want to talk to him. And it would make this situation even more awkward,” Yuri whispered back, her hands gripping the edge of her skirt tightly to the point Reina could see Yuri’s knuckles turned white. “You’re the one who should start talking to them! You’re their manager after all.”

“Only for a week, yeah. Not nearly enough for me to actually open up and get to know them. And I have no intention to lower my guard unless one of them lowered theirs first.”

Yuri rolled her eyes and Reina could tell that relief had seeped into her bones. “You’re one to talk.”

“Ahem.” 

Yuri and Reina immediately stopped their whispering session and turned their heads to the voice’s source. Not so surprisingly it was Atsumu who decided to break the steady rhythm the whole table had going. 

“Yes, is there anything you want to say?” Reina asked, raising her eyebrows as clasped both of her hands, bracing for a storm. 

If there was anything she learnt from her first week as the manager, she should _ always  _ be prepared for the possibility that a riot would break. 

“Nah, just want to test if you’re going to freak out having your table invaded by us,” Atsumu responded with a shrug. But Reina was not fooled by the faux nonchalance he was oozing. “Although, Rei-chan, you never told us about yourself.”

Reina stayed quiet, not wanting to dip her foot into the uncharted waters just yet. “Okay, so...why is that a problem? I think I already made myself clear about who I am.”

“How about this,” Atsumu wore a smirk that should have ignited some sparks of anger within Reina’s soul. It dawned upon her realization the numbness she had always been afraid of, already took its roots deep within her heart. “What’s your deal with Ichijou Mai and what’s your experience with volleyball that you can see my tell about which serve I’m going to use?” 

No, Reina was  _ not  _ ready for this. Not ready for having to have her past dissected on a table where everyone could poke on her issues. But if she told anything other than the truth, this motherfucker would have noticed.

Instead, Reina settled for what she had always been living for half of her life, the half truth. Truth was ugly, grotesque, and could only be taken in small doses. 

“I had a brother who used to be an ace and my father made me watch his practice everyday to make sure he’s well taken care of. And I somehow develop a keen eye for tells in the sport.” 

Reina could feel the mask of deliberate nonchalance she’s wearing cracking, slowly yet surely. But she could not afford to take it off right now. Not when there was an audience to watch her break down. She would cry later tonight on her bed, mulling over every single thread of probabilities in which her brother did not have to die. 

In which she did not have to move away from Nagano and forsake it just because she could not bear to be around everything that was familiar to her. 

“Tsumu, stop it.” Reina’s gaze shifted towards Osamu, who already put down his food. “If she’s not willing to share her info just yet, just let it be.”

“What? I’m just telling what the rest of the second years have been thinking,” Atsumu asked, obviously could not see or rather, refused to see, the tension lingering on the atmosphere. “But really Rei-chan, you’re our manager, you’re supposed to be chummy with the rest of us, not just the third years. I’m actually being kind here, laying out the info for you to the table for free.” 

Ah, so this is what it was about. Reina never out loud said that she was more comfortable around the third year students, but one could not just hide social preference just as easily. 

Even though it was probably another misleading thread thrown by Atsumu to play his mind games, it was enough to serve as a temporary way out from the way her stomach twisted itself from the inside. Relief started to pour into her slowly withering soul, buying her a little bit more time to at least pretend that only mere minutes ago she was on the verge of a mental breakdown. 

“I think it is hard to get to know each other when you can only see an easy way out from your academic responsibilities when we’re talking,” Reina replied, putting down her fork and spoon as she stared into Atsumu’s eyes. “If you actually want to get to know the  _ real me,  _ just say so. It’s not that hard, blondie.”

Silence settled into the air, along with the tension that was just thickening. Flicking her glance to Atsumu, he definitely did not look sorry for cornering her like that. 

“So…” Reina clapped her hand with a smile that certainly felt like cringe, from the way her face muscles twitched. “Any other questions?” 

“I have one,” Suna finally decided to speak, putting down his phone on the table. “Why don't you answer Atsumu's question about Mai?”

“Dear Gods, if you just want to have gossip material, just say it,” Reina countered with an eye roll. “She used to be my friend, that’s it. What’s your deal with butting into people’s personal lives? Do you guys put Ichijou through this interrogation session too or something? Look, if you guys want her number, don’t ask me. I’ve deleted it from my phone.”

“If you’re not so closed off, we’re not going to be very curious.” Suna shrugged as he propped his hand on his chin, his keen eyes watching Reina. “And Shibazeki-san, if you’re still going to stay as our manager next year, you’re going to have to get used to us.” 

Would not be Suna if he did not spit out facts. The fact that Reina had to adjust from seeing him as her regular client to a fellow teammate just...it was not exactly an easy transition. And she promised herself not to bail when everything took into a darker turn and to adhere to that, she knew she had to get used to the aching smell of school spirit that the boys’ volleyball club reeked. 

“True, we're not the terrible twins you definitely think we are,” Osamu added as he took a bite of his onigiri. Reina had honestly lost count just how  _ much  _ he ate. “What club you used to be in before accepting the manager position, Shibazeki-san?”

“The band club,” Reina answered with no hesitation. That would certainly be enough to shut them up, knowing how dramatic Atsumu could be whenever the ensemble band club accompanied the volleyball club to competitions or qualifiers. “I used to play trumpet there, first chair. I'm not exactly athletically gifted so I decided to pick up an instrument and I chose trumpet.”

“Why did you quit?” Ginjima asked and Reina thought that he would be caught up with his conversation with Chiyo. “If you're good then, why did you quit?”

Yuri's eyes bulged out of her sockets and Reina guessed that her friend had yet to get used to just how much audacity the boys just have in store. “Ginjima-kun, I’m not sure that it is a good idea to–”

“–no, it’s fine, Riko,” Reina interrupted, her gaze boring holes on Osamu to check if he reacted from Yuri’s old nickname. Seeing him did not even budge, Reina heaved a sigh inwardly. “You guys got to be kidding me, if you haven't heard about the whole drama with the band Club last year.”

The three boys blinked (except for Suna who only looked bored), which only signified Reina’s suspicion that they were generally living in their own bubble. The kind of luxury that only jocks and athletes could afford. 

“It was a huge mess,“ Chiyo volunteered the information as she dabbed her mouth with tissue. “And ninety percent of the reason shit hits the fan in the first place is because of you, Miya Atsumu senpai.”

“Suna, you know about this?” Atsumu pointed his fingers at the middle blocker, who only let out a yawn as if this problem was hardly news for him. “Wait a minute, why is it my fault that the band club is having problems which ended up in Rei-chan leaving the club?”

“Sometimes brother, I wish I can say you're adopted like Thor did to Loki,” Osamu exclaimed with a mock solemn tone. “But please do explain, Reina-san..”

“Now you're just pretending that you know the whole problem while you probably only know how Atsumu forced the ensemble band to follow his cue to be quiet,” Suna remarked, for once put down his phone to the table. 

“Although one thing is for sure,” Gin said, clearing his throat to get the whole table’s attention. “Can we just appreciate that everyone collectively agrees how thick headed Atsumu is? Clap with me if everyone agrees.”

Unironically everyone clapped their hands as per Gin’s instruction. Reina almost let a smile form on her face. Maybe Yuri was right , the prospect of staying next year when the third years graduated did not seem so bad after all.

“You still have to tell me what clownery did Atsumu pull off to the point you left the band club,” Osamu said, not once looking sorry as he picked up food from Yuri’s bento. The latter did not even try to stop it. “I mean, I don’t even know your reach of annoyance could breach even another club, brother.”

“Ugh, why is everyone out to get me?” Atsumu whined, causing everyone to laugh, even Yuri’s kouhais (excluding Chiyo who had no qualms of ingratiating with Gin early on). 

From the corner of her eyes, she could see Gin flashed her a rather huge grin. Another wave of relief started to wash over Reina’s heart, triggering the realization in her head that all this time fear was gripping her tightly.

Fearing that the leap she was taking would end up with her falling to the abyss instead of jumping to the other side of the canyon where closure awaits her. As she let out the real laugh in front of her current clubmates, Reina could feel several gazes that bore holes to the back of her head.

Her grandfather was right, if she wanted to move forward with Inarizaki Boys’ Volleyball Club, she still had some past settlements to be taken care of. 


	10. confrontations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> as yuri and osamu got to know each other (again), reina was faced with one of the demons from her past stint as an ensemble band club member.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey guys, i am SO sorry for the super late update. the last chapter was posted right before my finals started. updates should have resumed since the end of January (since that is the time my break started). but apparently the semester was so draining that i literally took a whole month to rest. i actually started drafting this chapter since last January, but i was just super mentally taxed to finish it. but here it is! weekly updates would resume again from this point! enjoy this chapter! 
> 
> p.s. the new laptop that I've bought definitely boosts my motivation to write xD. lots of yuri and osamu in this chapter, and shit really hits the fan for reina. and the song that reina is humming in this chapter is from the pixar movie UP titled 'married life'.

“Is it alright if I call you Yuri-san?” Osamu’s voice caused Yuri’s train of thoughts to crash, causing her brain to freeze for a moment. “Your surname, Tsukikage, is quite a mouthful.” 

It had been a week since Yuri got the anonymous request which asked her specifically to keep up a letter correspondence with Osamu. After going through a year and a half of her high school days not being on his radar, being thrusted into it so suddenly felt like a huge wave washed over her shore. And she was nowhere near ready to deal with that. 

Looking up from her own notes, Yuri marveled over how their paths converged once again after years of being parallel to each other. Parallel lines were never meant to intercept, except if an intervention was involved. The request to send him letters was definitely the trigger that kickstarted everything, along with her being assigned to tutor him.

They were not alone in one of the empty and unused classrooms that the faculty decided was the right place to hold the mandatory peer tutor meetings. Other pairs of students spread across the class, but with the considerable distance between each pair, Yuri felt that the bubble around her and Osamu was thickening. 

“Are you sure that we are close enough for you to call me with my first name?” she replied with a little bit of teasing lilt laced beneath her voice. Emphasize on a little because she really was still testing the waters on how she should interact with Osamu. Playing the tutor role dutifully was one she was sticking to.

As much as it was a curse for her, his oblivious and absentminded nature served as a cushion to their dynamics as well. Nervous as one could be when sitting right in front of their crush, Yuri thought the terrain was safe enough. Safe enough for her not to walk on eggshells. Notwithstanding there were butterflies in her stomach that felt more like a stampede of buffaloes or how her heart beats against her ribs. 

“You tell me, Riko, or Yuri,” he said with a small smile, but Yuri did not miss the way his eyes did not glow with recognition or whatsoever. “Your name is Yuriko, right?”

“Yes it is,” Yuri confirmed, putting her head on her palms. “But kudos to you for getting my name right. After getting it wrong for the first five times.”

“Hey, at least the effort pays off.”

“You’re only saying that so I will let you off the hook with your math homework. Letting off the hook means I’m doing it for you,” Yuri pointed out, easily reading him like a book. There was no malice threaded under her words, just simple facts she laid down gently on him. “Look, as much as my hands  _ itch  _ to do the assignment for you, we need you to pass the exams on your own effort, if you want to participate in Spring High this January…”

“Agh, this is so hard,” Osamu exclaimed, scratching the back of his head. “Who the hell invented Calculus?”

“You can thank Isaac Newton for that, along with other plethora of mathematicians that I know you can’t be bothered to know their names, so to spare you I will cut myself until Newton. He is also the one who discovered gravity is a thing,” Yuri answered. “And gravity is like the biggest enemy for every volleyball player, sorry for geeking out at you, I know that question is supposed to be rhetorical, but I am just a rambler and…” stopping her train of thought that started to veer off the lane, Yuri closed her eyes, trying to spare herself from the embarrassment. 

She had no idea how to act around Osamu, the only claim she had on their pre-existing relationship was the long faded memory (on his part at least) of their time in the hospital ward. 

“I’m going to pretend that I understand what you just say, Yuri-san,” his voice caused Yuri to open her eyes slowly, peeking to check his reaction.

Not so surprisingly, he reached his hand out, a signal to ask her of more gummy bears candy she brought. “More candy, please. Or any food, I know that you prepare more than enough to keep me awake during lessons.”

Of course he did not forget to blink several times, clearly trying to ramp up his adorable vibes to get her cave in. And it was working, but at least Yuri was aware of what he was trying to do.

“You’ve got enough sugar rush, if you’re already whining about Calculus instead of sleeping on top of your notebook. At this point, there is a real chance that you’re really not going to pass the exams. You won’t be able to participate in Spring High and the rest of the school will be out for my head for having their regular players gone from the court. So please, Samu, let me help you to pass the exams so you won’t have to join the supplementary classes.” 

“That doesn’t sound so bad,” Osamu said, looking into the window as he put his chin on his hand. “Oh wait, not you getting your head on the platter by the rest of the school, I mean.”

Honestly, why was he so...unabashedly himself that Yuri could not help but to reach out her hand and pinch his face. Even now his cheeks were as puffy as it was all those years ago. “That really caught me off guard for a sec, Samu.”

As her hand grazed over his face, their eyes were locked into each other. She was painfully aware just how much this scenario was a replica to the night before he left the hospital. Although she doubted that he would remember any of it. It happened so long ago and he did not even know her real name then. 

“Anyways,” Yuri backtracked immediately before she could drown into the fleeting moment between them, “what do you mean by…” drifting off, Yuri struggled to find the right words to approach this problem, to ask him the question that had always been nagging the back of her head since they started high school. “By...saying that it doesn't sound so bad to sit out the tournament?”

She  _ knew  _ the answer, courtesy of the talk they had way back when in the hospital ward. What had started as his attempts . Even then, Osamu had never really inclined towards the sport that his brother loved so much. Yuri wondered why he never stopped doing it, since the first time she saw last year's Inter High games, when Reina was still in the ensemble band club. The only thing that she could come up in her mind because he was so used to giving the bare minimum and got quite satisfactory results out of his efforts. 

There were many questions she wanted to ask, but within it all she knew that she had to bid her time. 

“I don’t know, Yuri,” Osamu answered and Yuri could only wait for his answer. She knew that he was not used to silence, but ironically he seemed to struggle filling the space that usually would itch him. “But I do know that I never really love volleyball as much as my teammates do, or to be specific, as much as my brother does.”

“So...is there anything you  _ really  _ are passionate about?” Yuri honestly asked. “Something that would make you realize that just putting a bare minimum of effort is not going to cut it like it usually does for you.”

She did not mean anything beneath her words, it was a genuine attempt to uncover his layers. But his response, the way his eyes widened and his usually bored gaze turned a little bit wistful as he looked into the window, Yuri knew that she struck a chord within him.

“I like to eat, like a lot. And it has come across my mind to make something out of that in the future. But I haven’t really given it a deep thought. We’re still in high school, Yurippe, but you’re definitely busier than most people I know for a high school kid.”

Yurippe, the nickname that Reina came up with after they both watched the anime Angel Beats (and cried to it, draining almost a box of tissues). Yuri could not help but to smile a little. Although she was not anything like the Yurippe from the anime. 

“If you ask me, you’re just not used to thinking at all,” Yuri commented, somehow a little bit solemnly. If she was a little bit more abrasive, it would have come off as sarcastic. “That’s why math is hard for you.”

“Ouch, but that is true. Even my idiot brother is a little bit better,” Osamu grumbled as he pouted. 

Ugh, he was cute all right. Yuri was overcome with another urge to pinch his face. She could honestly say that her crush was transforming slowly into fondness and for the sake of her mental wellbeing, it was a good thing. 

Maybe she could send the letters to him anonymously without driving herself crazy. Not to mention the shitload amount of homework and club duties that she still had to plow through. Oh Kami-sama, please lend her the strength to go through the second year of high school without her drop dead from academic stress. 

“Why do you choose to be a peer tutor, Yuri-san? Is it because you like to teach people?” 

Yuri wanted to snort. Dear God, if Reina was here she would probably be quipping about Osamu’s lack of brain power. Although to her best friend’s credit, Reina rarely made fun of her teammates unless she was provoked to do so. “No, I become a peer tutor because it would look good on my resume if I am going to apply to university. Be honest, Samu, what makes you think I like teaching?”

“At this point you had yet to make fun of me like my brother did if I got lost in the middle of this weird combination of numbers and letters that are supposed to be equations. Even though you are nowhere near as intimidating as Kita-san if he asked us to study well, you make me want to work harder, just a little bit.” 

Oh wow, she did not expect that kind of answer from him. Must be the sugar rush from the gummy bears that Yuri fed him earlier before their session started. Yuri found her mouth went agape. 

“Whoa, Samu...You really give me more credit than I should receive.” 

Honestly, she picked up the peer tutoring gig when her homeroom teacher Himuro-sensei offered it. Yuri earned good grades (placed third in the whole second year batch) because she was diligent and actually liked the calmness studying offered her. If Reina was the top student because her friend was naturally gifted, Yuri had to work harder to earn the same results. 

It was what made Yuri had yet to give up her hope to transform her club into a legitimate community where the non sports oriented students could find solace in. Teachers noticed her work ethic and dedication, even though if one wanted to compare, Reina was definitely the smarter one. 

And Reina would not be caught dead tutoring jocks with failing grades unless she was cornered to do it. Yuri wanted to smile at Reina’s current circumstances. As the manager, it would not take long for the third years to ask her help to tutor the second year boys. 

“I hope that’s enough to emotionally bribe you to do the homework for me.”

“Nope, that’s nowhere near enough,” Yuri exclaimed with a smile. Picking up her pilot mechanical pencil, she started to point out where Osamu did wrong on the calculus homework. “You should make sure that—”

“—Guys, oh my god!” Someone barged open the door, causing Yuri to flinch and pressed her pencil too hard against the page, causing the lead to snap. 

“Hm, usually if someone was coming up like this, they must’ve seen a good fight,” Osamu muttered. “At least that’s what Suna told me each time I ask how on earth there were always a crowd surrounding the gym if Atsumu and I were fighting.” 

“WHAT, NOT YOU AGAIN, NAO-KUN?!” The tutor beside Yuri and if her memory serves, her name was Fujisawa Chika. “Dear Kami-sama, Yuri, can you believe that sensei left the class again?” 

Yuri was too bewildered to answer, but was not surprised. Today it was Honda-sensei’s turn to watch over the peer tutor session, but he was not around in class. It was not a problem, but Chika was a stickler to the rules who needed a teacher’s presence to make her feel safer in tutoring the former yankee she was assigned to teach. “Yeah, I guess.”

“You guys should check this out, the girls from the ensemble band club are crowding in front of the gym! I think it is like a girl fight waiting to happen!” Nao-kun, the resident gossip (who was only matched by Suna in terms of gossipy resources), exclaimed. 

Yuri’s eyes rounded, almost bulging out of her sockets. She and Osamu locked eyes immediately, knowing that it probably had something to do with Reina. Since exams were around the corner, club activities were suspended except for physical warm ups like running around the gym or briefing from the coach or Kita-san. 

“What are you waiting for?!” Nao-kun waved his hands frantically, not noticing that Yuri and Osamu were already bolting out of the room, with the former dragging the latter. 

***

_ 45 minutes earlier, Inarizaki High Gym  _

“So as you guys know, practices cease to happen in the next week since all of you are going to prepare for your mid-term exams,” Coach Kurosu announced as he cleared his throat while holding on his wooden clipboard. Rather tightly, if Reina wanted to point it out. “I know I don’t have to worry about the third year students, you guys are literally holding it on your own. The second year, on the other hand…” Drifting off, he let the others fill in the silence with their own inner thoughts about the exams. “As much as I am grateful that only Osamu who ended up in the mandatory peer tutoring program, it doesn’t mean you guys are out of the woods just yet.” 

One week and several days in as the manager, Reina had learned that the coach was a well meaning man who had an affinity to sarcastic jabs. Dealing with these boys would sharpen one’s defense mechanism to keep their sanity. Exhibit A and B were showcased in their coach and Ojiro-senpai. 

Hugging her knees and trying not to let the heat of the gym get to her, Reina furtively glanced at her fellow teammates. Well, it was too late to avert her gaze anyways from her fellow second year students. 

Gin was gazing expectantly at her, trying to remind her not so subtly about their deal during the lunch table invasion several days ago. She made a point to not glance at the others if there was a sudden urge to backtrack from the deal. 

“Don’t worry, coach, we already prepare a contingency plan for a counter attack,” Atsumu exclaimed, not bothering to raise his hand or whatsoever. “Now we’ve got Rei-chan here, our manager who is a smart cookie in her own right.” 

“Unless you all squeeze her brain power dry,” Ojiro-senpai butted in with his usual dry tone and as usual he managed to elicit a laugh from the second year boys, mainly Atsumu. Not even his brother’s absence deterred him from basically devouring the whole room with his presence. “I’m sorry, Shibazeki-san.”

“No it’s fine…” Reina assured, not wanting her kind senpai to feel worse. Maybe he felt guilty that this time the third years were burdened with their own preparation for college entrance exams (for those who did not want to go pro) and their own mid terms. “Wouldn’t want the cheer team and half the school cut my head off for causing the star players not being able to play just because of failed grades.”

It went without saying that cram schools were out of the question for the boys. Their time was consumed by practice and they’re not exactly the type who would have enough dedication to attend cram school. Most of the students in Inarizaki did not hail from high flying and wealthy families, almost the majority of the students were solidly middle class. For them, cram schools were only in demand if it was truly necessary. And as second year students with a shitload of athletic achievements on their belt, they would not need cram school to secure their future as of now. 

The relaxed attitude surrounding academics and how club oriented the student body were all the reasons why Reina’s side business thrived. Well, until she had to shut it down when she started her job as the manager for the boys’ volleyball club (read: circus).

“You have no idea how much I owe you, Shibazeki,” Coach Kurosu admitted, his tone was a little bit sheepish. He turned his head to Coach Oomi, the younger one among both of them. Reina could swear that “Coach Oomi, I’m sure that the boys are in the right hands. Anyways, any further questions before we let you guys off the hook to study?” 

Atsumu raised his hand, unironically acting like a model student for once. There was an air of childish perkiness around him that made Reina snickered. “Coach, will there be a practice match after the midterms exam?”

“Atsumu, just make sure that you pass first,” the coach answered as he cleared his throat. The coach’s response elicited laughter from the rest. “But to answer your question, I have yet to arrange it. I’ll ask for Shibazeki’s help regarding the administrative procedure.”

“Noted, Coach,” Reina answered, making a mental note inside her head. Hopefully she did not have to ask for her father’s help to arrange any of the practice matches. At least her school had enough influence as a powerhouse to be the ones asked for a practice match. 

“And make sure that the Student Council rep who always drops by here already gets the paperwork to borrow the school’s transportation for the Spring High in January.”

“Yes, Coach.” 

Reina was well aware that she had started to sound like a broken radio and some of her fellow second years already started to snicker. She took a deep breath, willing herself not to roll her eyes in front of the coach. 

“Alright then, the meeting is dismissed.”

“Thank you, Coach!” Everyone chorused together as they stood up, the organized crowd slowly dispersed as each of them went to the changing room one by one. 

Before Reina stood up, she felt someone patted her on the shoulder. Looking up, she was greeted with Akagi-senpai’s kind smile. 

“Good job, Shibazeki-san. Thank you for taking over the managerial duties. Honestly, only when you’re here did I realize just how mentally liberating it is not to do the jobs. Before you’re here, the third years are the ones who do the managerial duties.”

Coming from Atsumu, it would have sounded like a backhanded compliment. And Lord he was really good at giving those, Reina would give him that. Although it was only to the extent of volleyball skills, beyond that he was an easy target to be made fun of. However, from Akagi-senpai it sounded like a genuine compliment. 

“Thank you,” Reina answered with a nod, immediately picking up her notebook and pencil from the floor as she hoisted herself up. “I...am glad I can help.”

Two weeks in as the manager, Reina could honestly say that maybe being in a club was not so bad after all. Yes, she had been freelancing for Yuri’s club, but technically at that point she was still a ‘ronin’. 

Her high school was that weird about club culture, immediately branding those who chose not to join any after school clubs as ‘ronin’ or a masterless samurai. Reina still had yet to wrap her head around it. In a morbid way, it reminded her of the toxicity in her old school back in California. How people worshipped the grounds jocks and school athletes walked on, willing to . Before her mind could stretch further into the abyss where the skeleton of her dead brother resides, Reina pressed the pause button. 

She shuddered, recalling when the person from the band club attempted to assert her dominance in the hallway. All just because that person took over Reina’s old position in the club.

“If you need help to teach your fellow second years, you know that help is always available.” 

Reina nodded as her senpai waved his hands. As Akagi-senpai’s figure slowly dwindled from her line of sight, Reina found herself humming to a song from a recent Disney Pixar movie UP she rewatched yesterday.

“Hey, that song sounds familiar.” 

Reina turned her head and she could barely contain her astonishment in hearing Atsumu’s voice. “Uh…I’m sorry?”

“The song that you’re humming. That’s from the Pixar movie UP, right?” 

Of all people in the club, Atsumu was the last person that she expected to have this conversation with. “Yeah. You know that movie?”

“I watch almost every Pixar movie, even Brave, last June.”

“Ah…” Reina was not sure how to continue the conversation. But she was not  _ that  _ rude to abruptly stop it just because she was wary of how the conversation would flow. “Yeah me too, it also helps me to learn English by watching them. With the subtitles of course.” 

“Sheesh, you’re really a nerd.”

“Being a nerd definitely helps me to pass my classes with ease, so I don’t think it is as bad as you make it to be.” 

A smile bloomed on Atsumu’s face. The kind of smile that reminded Reina of a toddler who found an interesting toy to play with. “Well, if you’re saying that learning can be fun if you combine it with your hobby, then you’re really a nerd.”

“I’m going to charge you hourly for the upcoming study session.” 

“Argh, please don’t! I’m really broke right now.”

Reina let out a snort. “Well, then you know what to do, Miya.”

She walked over to him and patted his shoulder. He was nowhere near being bearable in long term. Someone like Atsumu should be dealt with in small doses. However, she could honestly say to herself that she had developed a camaraderie with him. 

“Rei-chan.”

“We only knew each other for several weeks, nowhere near enough for you to call me by my first name.”

“Well at least don’t call me Miya because both Samu and I will turn our heads whenever someone uttered our surname.”

Putting her hand to her chin, Reina looked up to the gym’s ceilings. “Fair enough.”

“And you have to let me watch some other Pixar movies with you for English.” His ears perked in anticipation. 

“Yeah, like you’ll ever study properly that way,” Reina shot back. “It’s not going to be easy and you know I won’t go easy on you.”

“Aye, manager-chan,” he mockingly saluted. “I won’t expect any less from you.”

Given how she had seen the extent of his ambition on court  _ and  _ the nasty way he called out other players who weren’t playing to his standard, Reina believed him. Wholeheartedly. 

She decided to wave at Atsumu. Just to show him that at least there was  _ some  _ progress had been made between them. “Go shower, you stink real bad.”

Flashing his cheeky smile at her direction, Atsumu once again made the saluting gesture. Turning his back, he walked away,  _ finally  _ giving Reina the quietness that she had yet to find in this gym.

Reina’s eyes keenly scanned the surroundings as she let out an exhale of breath. It was a good thing that every single time she stepped into the gym, the flurry of activities were so overwhelming that she never really had the time to stop and  _ think.  _ Thinking was her default mode, but being a manager just forced her to  _ both  _ think and act at the same time. 

Stretching her arms up, Reina had honestly forgotten how mentally taxing it was to always stay alert, tending to the needs and care of sweaty teenage boys. 

Her mind drifted to her dead brother, as there was no noise around her to cancel her train of thought from crashing down into the abyss. 

_ “Reina, get the water quickly, you’re so fucking slow you know that?” _

_ “If you keep acting like your fellow athletes who are major jerks, I am gonna quit being the water girl for the volleyball club. It’s not like you guys need me anyway” _

_ “You sure that you can get away from that, Rei-chan? Dad’s going to be so angry if he found out that you bail from the mandatory community service.” _

_ “I hate Sacramento. I hate you. You’re the reason why we have to leave Nagano, leaving everything I know for YOUR volleyball career!” _

“Ah, so the infamous Shibazeki Reina finally decided to get off her high horses and interact with the  _ filthy  _ boys’ volleyball club. Are you licking up your own words this time, Rei-chan?”

The sickeningly familiar voice managed to pull Reina out from the ugly memory lane she was spiraling into. 

Ogasawara Chiemi, her former fellow club member from the ensemble band club, showed up in front of the gym. She had both her arms on her hips, a smirk playing on her mouth and somehow managed to make her face even more grotesque. And she was one of the prettiest girls in Inarizaki, second only to Mai herself. 

She was not alone, smart enough to bring three other girls as part of her cohort.

“Chie, are you sure about this?” 

It was the same girl who almost cornered her in the hallway and Akagi-senpai’s presence was the only thing that stopped the ugly confrontation between them.

“Reina, I thought that you’re never going to ingratiate yourself with the boys’ volleyball club. Not especially after the declaration you made in front of everyone last year. Care to repeat it to us? Honestly I thought it must be a joke when Shizuku here,” Chiemi gestured to the girl beside her, “told me that you’ve become the manager for the boys’ volleyball club. Since you decide to speak up, a  _ lot  _ of our talented club members quit, convincing them that it is not worth it to stay in a club that doesn’t care about its own achievements, only play a second fiddle to Miya Atsumu’s requests. What is the exact term you use to describe us?” 

The one good thing about Chiemi’s tendencies to make a grand entrance and talk big about her intentions as she laid down her warpath was the time she gave Reina to collect herself. As Chiemi finished talking, Reina already knew which weapons she had to pick from her own arsenal. 

“Spineless bitches who would gladly lick the dirt from the Miya twins’ shoes, basically a bunch of lapdog who don’t even care about the ensemble band club,” Reina answered evenly, her hands balled into fists. “I’m just stating facts. You turn the club into your own personal fan club for Miya. It’s not fair for the other members who genuinely wanted to compete and win national tournaments.” 

“Now that’s where you’re wrong,” Chiemi moved forward, bringing her face closer to Reina’s face. “I care  _ very much  _ about the club’s wellbeing.”

An eerie smile formed on Reina’s mouth. At least the boys were still in the shower and by the time they finished, she hoped this problem had been solved. These girls didn’t know that the first rule of confrontations was that you should never do it in the enemy’s territory.

“Now, Ogasawara-san,” Reina calmly said. “Are you sure that you  _ really  _ care about the club’s wellbeing? Or you finally decide that your  _ beloved  _ club has suffered enough from your  _ shitty  _ leadership?” 

At least this time, Reina expected the incoming slap to her face. 


End file.
